What is the ASI Foundation?
The African Snakebite Institute Foundation is a registered Non-profit Organisation which focuses on educating people about snakes and snakebite, first aid measures and the medical treatment of snakebite.
The African Snakebite Institute Foundation is a registered Non-profit Organisation which focuses on educating people about snakes and snakebite, first aid measures and the medical treatment of snakebite.
Free handling refers to the practice of handling highly venomous snakes with your bare hands. The snake is easily in striking distance and the free handler has to judge the snakes temperament and actions to avoid a bite. Often if one is calm with the snake and does not restrict its movement, the snake may be reluctant to bite. However, these animals are still unpredictable and at any moment the situation can turn bad.
All corporate sites are responsible for the health and safety of their employees whilst on-site. For sites situated in areas where staff are exposed to snake encounters, it is imperative that staff are given correct training in snake awareness and information on what to do in the case of snake encounters. For sites situated in remote areas, having trained snake handlers on each shift can be an invaluable asset.
Most of our major corporate clients who have large sites and hundreds of staff members, like to ensure that they have at least two or more trained snake removers on every shift. Eliminating hazards to staff on-site is part of nearly every occupational health and safety act and a number of companies take minimizing risk to staff very seriously.
There are ten highly venomous species in KwaZulu-Natal, including the two spitting snakes (the Rinkhals and Mozambique Spitting Cobra). Most snakes try to avoid humans at all costs, and considering the number of people in KwaZulu-Natal, bites are rare.
How to become a snake catcher in South Africa? This is a question which is often asked by members of the public and those interested in becoming certified snake catchers in their local communities.
There are five highly venomous species in the province, including the two spitting snakes (the Rinkhals and Black Spitting Cobra). Most snakes try to avoid humans at all costs, and considering the number of people in the Western Cape, bites are rare.
There are ten highly venomous species in the province, including the two spitting snakes (the Rinkhals and Mozambique Spitting Cobra). Most snakes try to avoid humans at all costs, and considering the number of people in KwaZulu-Natal, bites are rare.
As a youngster growing up in Woodlands in Durban, I never feared snakes. But that was not the case with the rest of my family. My first snake encounter in our garden was a Brown House Snake and my mother insisted that we killed it. It was an unpleasant experience and the beginning of my fascination with snakes.
I have built up a large image bank of reptile and amphibian photographs over the past 45 years – arguably the largest collection in Africa.