Save The Snakes has a program in South Africa dedicated to snake education and conservation to mitigate human-snake conflict and it is currently led by our Africa Program Manager, Hiral Naik. To create a local presence in the greater Hoedspruit area for our education and outreach projects, Save The Snakes and the Hoedspruit Reptile Centre have created the Snake Education and Community Awareness Program (SECAP). SECAP aims to work with learners, community members and healthcare workers to mitigate human-snake conflict, promote harmonious living between people and snakes and reduce the number of snakebites that occur in the Hoedspruit area.
There are currently 5 main projects:
• Schools Project: educating learners at schools in the area and create a positive attitude towards snakes.
• Communities Project: focuses on educating members of various rural communities in the area about snakes and conducting additional outreach projects to create valuable partnerships.
• Healthcare Worker’s Project: working with local hospitals and clinics to ensure healthcare workers are better equipped with dealing with snakebite.
• Antivenom Bank: providing antivenom to individuals or to hospitals and clinics when they have been bitten by a snake.
• Snake Relocation Training: working with identified leaders in rural communities to become snake handlers and learn to safely rescue and relocate snakes.
School’s Project
Healthcare Worker’s Project
Through our involvement in educating healthcare professionals, our team in South Africa are part of the National Snakebite Advisory Group in South Africa. Below are some helpful resources created by the group: Snakebite Flipper cards.
Snakebite-Flipper-Card-for-the-Emergency-Care-Providor
Snakebite-Flipper-Card-for-the-Hospital
Snakebite-Flipper-Card-for-the-Layman
Snake Capture Training Courses in South Africa
The Hoedspruit Reptile Centre offers a variety of courses on snake capture and snake awareness. Based in Hoedspruit, Limpopo, South Africa, the HRC team are ready to assist. Contact reptile@yebo.co.za to book a course today!
Updates from South Africa 2021
Stay tuned for exciting updates from the SECAP team and show your support by visiting our Facebook page and our program website.
Support Save The Snakes Efforts in South Africa
Partial funding for this project has been received from an education grant from the International Herpetological Symposium, Roger Conant – Grants in Herpetology, Rufford’s Foundation and the Belton Mouras, Jr. and Dolores Ramirez Mouras Charitable Fund of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation.
Please donate today to help us continue to fund Hiral’s snake conservation project in South Africa. Save The Snakes depends on the assistance of generous people like you to help fund international snake conservation efforts. Thank you for your support.
