Snakes on Campus
Night adder eating a frog
If you find a snake on campus, do not try to kill it - this will only cause panic, make the animal aggressive, and increase your risk of being bitten. Rather do as follows:
- Keep calm, and move slowly and quietly away.
- Contact one of the numbers below - so a snake handler listed below can come and remove the snake.
- Ask somebody to keep careful watch - it is wise to know where the snake goes.
- If it seems safe, place a waste paper bin or a bucket upside down over the animal to confine it.
RU emergency contacts
- RU Campus Protection Unit: 046-603.8146 (they will contact a snake handler for you)
- Full List of Emergency Numbers
- Makana Fire & Rescue Services: 046-622.4444 or 046-603.6000
- Settlers Hospital 046-622.2215 or a local doctor (for treatment of snake bites).
Harlequin snake - beautiful and harmless
Snake handlers in Grahamstown
- Basil Mills: sms 083 420 2633
- Sirion Robertson: Tel 046 603 8941, sms 078 238 8502
- John Midgley: sms 072 854 2607
- Martin Villet: Tel 046 603 8527, sms 083 565 5949
- Jeff van Staden (RU term times only): sms 083 303 7548
- Mario Rionda: Tel 046 636 2276, sms 071 090 0127
- Charl Grobbelaar (CPU): Tel 046 603 8146/7
- Nikki Kohly: 046 603 7205, sms 078 268 3533
- Chris Kelly: sms 076 419 6656
Boomslang - shy and graceful
Other animals
- More about dealing with other animals on campus.
Go to the Rhodes University ENVIRONMENT front page. Suggestions/Questions? Contact environment(at)ru.ac.za
