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Snakes on Campus

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 is a fast-moving or fast-striking snake, it is NOT wise to come within striking distance by placing a box or bucket over it to confine it.

RU emergency contacts

  • RU Campus Protection Unit: 046 603 8146/7 (Charl Grobbelaar) - will contact a TRAINED snake handler to catch the snake.

  • RU Emergency Contact Numbers‌ (emergency contact numbers for RU staff and students)

  • Snakebite: The first thing that you must do if bitten by a snake is see a doctor at the hospital; not even snake handlers keep antivenom on hand because the allergic reaction to the antivenom could cause medical problems - so it must be handled by a doctor. Rather avoid being bitten!

Trained Snake handlers in Grahamstown

  1. Shelley Edwards: Tel 046 603 8086, sms 071 401 1444

  2. Chad Keates (RU term times only): sms 083 669 6169

  3. Charl Grobbelaar: sms 076 118 8303

  4. Mario Rionda: Tel 046 636 2276, sms  073 742 7230

  5. Basil Mills: sms 083 420 2633

  6. Sirion Robertson: Tel 046 603 8941, sms 078 238 8502

  7. Jeff van Staden (RU term times only): sms 083 303 7548

  8. Chris Kelly: sms 076 419 6656

  9. *Brendon Dredge sms 072 304 0083 

  10. *Ken Watson sms 082 921 4388 

  11. *Liam Yell sms 072 650 7719

*on List of snake removers across South Africa 

More

Snakes of Grahamstown

African Snakebite Institute

Snakes of South Africa

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Last Modified: Thu, 13 Dec 2018 09:54:32 SAST