A scientist has revealed how he stepped on some of the most deadly snakes in the world thousands of times to discover just how and when they bite.
Behavioural biologist Joao Miguel Alves Nunes, a researcher at the Butantan Institute, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, wanted to find out why some snakes snap at anything and others do not.
So he assembled a test sample of 116 rattlers and jararaca pit vipers of every age and size for a study to show what triggered them in different conditions.
During the study, published in the scientific journal Nature, Nunes was bitten more than 40,000 times while wearing a pair of thick leather protective boots.
He explained: “I stepped on 116 animals. Totalling these footsteps, which took place day and night, stepping on or near the body of the animal, rattlesnake or jararaca, there were around 40,480 footsteps.
“More than 40,000 times I made my body available for the animal to bite.”
The two species of snake are said to be responsible for biting more than 20,000 people a year in South America.
And although Nunes was bitten thousands of times, he says his sturdy boots only let him down once when a rattler’s fangs pierced straight through the leather.
Luckily his research centre is one of the world leaders in developing anti-venom serums.
Less luckily Nunes discovered that he is allergic to both venom and anti-venom.
He said: “Unfortunately, I discovered that I am allergic to both antivenom and snake toxins. I had to take a 15-day medical leave.”
Nunes explained that his study rejects the common myth that pit vipers only bite when they are touched.
He explained: “I stepped close to the snakes and also lightly on them.”
Nunes said he did not put all his weight on his foot to avoid hurting the snakes. He said that he tested 116 animals and had them lunge at his protective boot 40,480 times.
The study also found that smaller snakes are likely to be more aggressive and bite more frequently.
And female snakes are always more ferocious in their attacks than males, says Nunes.
Victims have a much higher chance of being bitten if they touch a snake on the head rather than elsewhere on their body.
The study also reveals that snakes are more likely to bite on warmer days when they are more active and have more energy from the heat of the sun.
The paper of the study, titled ‘Study of the Defensive Behaviour of Venomous Snakes’ has been published in the scientific journal Nature.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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