Myanmar--Snakes
Mar 4th, 2004, 12:11 PM
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Myanmar--Snakes
Just back from Myanmar; travelled with my girlfriend (not a tour group) and made up our itinerary on the fly. Here's my report on snakes.
I have been an amateur reptile enthusiast all of my life and know quite a bit more than the average person about snakes. Based on what I read before going to Myanmar and what I saw there, I would certainly encourage caution. I would not, however, let the threat of snakes keep you away.
Myanmar is home to many deadly poisonous snakes, including regular and spitting cobras, kraits, sea snakes, and the Russell's viper (which kills more people every year than any other snake). Before going I had looked at a lot of message board postings wherein most people said they had never seen a snake in Myanmar and there was nothing to worry about. I would be a little more cautious if I were you. Carry a snakebit extractor kit and ace bandage and educate yourself on what to do if someone gets bitten.
Bagan: didn't see any live snakes, but saw a shed skin that I would say almost certainly came from a cobra. Stay out of the underbrush unless you are an idiot or an experienced reptile handler. Also, only walk on the paved roads after dark and carry a flashlight. The locals in Bagan said snakes were mostly a problem after dark. In my opinion, having seen the place, you'd have to be out of your mind to go temple exploring after dark there.
Ngwe Saung Beach -- saw a dead sea snake on the beach. These are 99% harmless in the water because they almost never bite people. However, they can be feisty on land. Furthermore, they have the most toxic venom of any snake and there are no medical facilities in Ngwe Saung so if you do manage to get yourself bitten, your only real hope is that no venom is injected (which is more likely than not). Also, do not go probing your hands into the rocks offshore from Ngwe Saung beach and watch where you step after dark. We also saw a small, live green snake on the grounds of the Treasure Beach resort, but it got out of sight quickly and we couldn't make a positive ID.
Mt. Popa. Yikes. Good snake habitat with a lot of rocky outcroppings and leaf litter. BE CAREFUL. We didn't see any snakes, but I was very nervous about tromping around the forest there with all the leaf litter. There could have been a big old Russell's viper anywhere. Watch where you put your hands and feet and be cautious.
I have been an amateur reptile enthusiast all of my life and know quite a bit more than the average person about snakes. Based on what I read before going to Myanmar and what I saw there, I would certainly encourage caution. I would not, however, let the threat of snakes keep you away.
Myanmar is home to many deadly poisonous snakes, including regular and spitting cobras, kraits, sea snakes, and the Russell's viper (which kills more people every year than any other snake). Before going I had looked at a lot of message board postings wherein most people said they had never seen a snake in Myanmar and there was nothing to worry about. I would be a little more cautious if I were you. Carry a snakebit extractor kit and ace bandage and educate yourself on what to do if someone gets bitten.
Bagan: didn't see any live snakes, but saw a shed skin that I would say almost certainly came from a cobra. Stay out of the underbrush unless you are an idiot or an experienced reptile handler. Also, only walk on the paved roads after dark and carry a flashlight. The locals in Bagan said snakes were mostly a problem after dark. In my opinion, having seen the place, you'd have to be out of your mind to go temple exploring after dark there.
Ngwe Saung Beach -- saw a dead sea snake on the beach. These are 99% harmless in the water because they almost never bite people. However, they can be feisty on land. Furthermore, they have the most toxic venom of any snake and there are no medical facilities in Ngwe Saung so if you do manage to get yourself bitten, your only real hope is that no venom is injected (which is more likely than not). Also, do not go probing your hands into the rocks offshore from Ngwe Saung beach and watch where you step after dark. We also saw a small, live green snake on the grounds of the Treasure Beach resort, but it got out of sight quickly and we couldn't make a positive ID.
Mt. Popa. Yikes. Good snake habitat with a lot of rocky outcroppings and leaf litter. BE CAREFUL. We didn't see any snakes, but I was very nervous about tromping around the forest there with all the leaf litter. There could have been a big old Russell's viper anywhere. Watch where you put your hands and feet and be cautious.
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