AUSTRALIA IS NOT REALLY SNAKEBITE CITY

The popular suggestion that Australia is home to the world’s deadliest snakes is largely a myth. The risk of deadly snakebites is actually far greater across Asia, Africa and South America. Australian herpetologist Ruchira Somaweera from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation says: “If you look at the amount of people who actually die in Australia from snakes each year, it’s practically nothing, compared to other parts of the world” (* unless you happen to be one of the dead Australians). By comparison, in parts of Asia, Africa and South America there are a group of snakes called vipers which are large, aggressive and common in agricultural lands where there is little appropriate footwear or first aid training. Mr. Somaweera notes that in the neighboring island of Sri Lanka, “An estimated 80,000 people get bitten by snakes annually, of which about 400 lose their lives,” he said.
* He would have said more but, you know… snake bit him.
* Then someone asked him about Australia’s spiders and he screamed like a little girl.
* Makes you wonder why more people in Asia, Africa and South America don’t use stilts.
* The message here is Australia’s snakes need to step up and start pulling their weight.
* You know why I “practically never” get bitten by a snake? I “practically never” get off my couch.