The UK’s only poisonous snake has been spotted by a walker in Devon. The viper is a private reptile so a sighting is quite rare even for regular walkers.
The poisonous snake, seen ‘sunbathing’ on Dartmoor, is distinctive for its gray or reddish-brown scales. They also often have a dark zig-zag stripe down their backs.
Centuries ago, locals believed that if someone was bitten by a viper, they would not recover until the snake was dead, reports Devon Live.
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The walker who managed to see the viper shared a video on Twitter. They wrote: ‘A rather gorgeous viper sunbathing on Dartmoor today.’
Commentators were equally astonished. One person replied saying: ‘Oh wow I’ve only ever seen a viper and that was about 30 years ago in Whitsands Bay. I walk the moors daily but maybe I have the very heavy feet.”
Another person wrote, “That’s a big addition! They camouflage themselves so well!” The discovery also sparked interest from the official Dartmoor National Park. He responded by saying, “What a place! On sunny spring days like this, vipers can be found recharging their batteries in wooded glades and on open moorland. Be sure to keep an eye out and give them a hand. lots of space.”
If you are bitten by a viper, the NHS advises that you have your bite examined. The NHS says: “Most snakebites in the UK are not serious, the viper is the only venomous snake. But it’s important to get all snakebites checked out as soon as possible.
“You will usually need to stay in hospital for at least 24 hours if you have been bitten by a snake. The bite will be cleaned and bandaged. You may be given an injection to protect you from tetanus.
“If you have been bitten by a venomous (venomous) snake, you will be treated with medicine to fight off the venom. This is given through a thin tube into a vein, called a drip.”
To find out more about NHS advice for snakebites, visit here.
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Source: www.somersetlive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-03-20 21:42:37
