So as Stella has been away sunning herself in the Maldives, I thought I’d do a little blog takeover.  And who am I?  Well, my name is Beatrice I’m a leasing consultant and you can find out a bit more about me here.

Those that know me know I’m a bit of an animal lover, so I wanted to keep this post animal based, but not in the conventional sense.  As there’s been quite a lot of snake talk online recently I thought I’d write a post on how to deal with snakes in Hong Kong!

As the Hong Kong climate is subtropical, it makes a very good home for snakes.  For those with phobias I’m sorry to say that there are quite a lot of snakes in the city, especially in the New Territories…

So, what are the common snakes in HK? There are more than 50 types, but only 14 species are venomous (that’s a 28% chance of the snake you meet being dangerous!). The Bamboo snake, Chinese Cobra, Common Rat Snake, Red Necked Keelback and Many-Branded Krait are the most common snakes in HK. Hikers have to pay special attention from February to November as snakes are most active during the hot seasons.

Readers, we are officially in snake season!  Here’s what to do should you a snake cross your path:

Don’t freak out!!!
Most snakes are shy and timid, they will try to find an escape route ASAP they are actually very scared of humans. If you are walking near it, the snake will definitely run away. The best thing to do is to leave it alone. Taking photos of the snake is only for the brave!

Never Attack or Strike Back. Just leave it alone!
Snakes are not aggressive unless they feel threatened, for example avoid moving bigger rocks or walking through thick bushes as this is where the snake’s lair could be.  They can move extremely fast and all snakes are good swimmers. Don’t be superhero and try to kill a snake, because snakes are definitely more superhero than you.  Did you know that the krait can even turn its head back on its own neck/body to bite anyone silly enough to try holding him there?

OMG! I got bitten!
If you are very unlucky and get bitten by a snake, stay calm. Most bite are not poisonous. Dial 999 immediately and go to the nearest hospital. If the snake is dead, bring it together with you to the hospital so the doctor can offer you the right serum. Taking a picture or describing every detail of the snake you remember to the doctor also helps. Just stay calm and still while waiting for the ambulance since fast high beat will increase the spread of venom.

In case there is a snake at or near your home, you may call the following parties:
Dave Willot (2328 2526)- a dedicated snake saver, who would rather be phoned and come around to pick up the snake than have one of you kill it.
Herp Removal & Relocation Service (9743 2011)- they will relocate the snake to the best location instead of simply killing the snake.

Hope you all have a nice and safe summer hikes!

Beatrice