Security Guard Recovering After Fer-de-Lance Snake Bite in Bois d’Orange
A part-time security guard is recovering after being bitten by a fer-de-lance snake in Bois d’Orange on Thursday, May 7. According to information obtained by Saint Lucia Daily Post, the man realized he had been bitten on his foot and drove himself to the Owen King EU Hospital where he received emergency medical attention. The […] The post Security Guard Recovering After Fer-de-Lance Snake Bite in Bois d’Orange appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.
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A part-time security guard is recovering after being bitten by a fer-de-lance snake in Bois d’Orange on Thursday, May 7.
According to information obtained by Saint Lucia Daily Post, the man realized he had been bitten on his foot and drove himself to the Owen King EU Hospital where he received emergency medical attention. The individual was later discharged days after the incident and is said to be recovering.
Senior Forestry Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Piyus Haynes, said preliminary assessments suggest the snake was relatively small in size based on the bite marks observed.
Haynes explained that investigations carried out by forestry officials suggest the venomous reptile likely arrived in the Bois d’Orange area through human activity and transportation of materials from communities where the species is more commonly found. “We investigated how and through what means and what we found out the snake arrived through human intervention,” Haynes explained. “What we suspected is that the excavators and trucks used by the workers are frequently used in Canaries and Millet for work.”
According to Haynes, trucks transporting river stones and soil from Canaries to the Bois d’Orange area may have unintentionally carried the snake. “The snake most likely would have been among the soil or stowed away in some compartment area in the vehicles,” he added.
Haynes also cautioned the public to remain vigilant, noting that fer-de-lance snakes are primarily nocturnal animals and can sometimes appear in areas not typically associated with snake activity. “Snakes get displaced inadvertently through flooding, stowaway, inadvertent movements, human movements etc and are now visible in areas very unusual for snake habitation,” he stated.
He urged members of the public to exercise caution and avoid attempting to handle snakes themselves. “If sighted, contact the Forestry Department where trained officers can intervene,” Haynes advised.
The fer-de-lance has not been captured and remains in the public space. This species is the only venomous snake in Saint Lucia.
The post Security Guard Recovering After Fer-de-Lance Snake Bite in Bois d’Orange appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.
