Daily Reptile News

CSSB scientists to develop technology for identifying snake from bitten person

A team of scientists from the Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology (CSSB), headed by Dr Pawan K Dhar is in the process of developing a new biosensor technology called Indriyam for health applications. This technology is specifically designed to identify the snake that has bitten a person, so that proper medication or anti venom can be administered to the patient in time. The technology is still under development and is expected to be completed by 2012.

The first phase of the project included collecting venom which the team did after getting the required permission from the Government of Kerala for collecting it from nine venomous snakes and studying it for charecterisation. According to Dileep Kumar R, a post doctorate who is closely associated with the research of biosensor, informed that the work on Indriyam had started four years back, wherein the first phase included collecting snake venom and studying it in details for characterisation. Just recently the team has concluded with the first phase and have progressed to the second phase of the project which includes developing a diagnostic kit for studying the various effects of it.

“Once we develop the technology we hope that through the characterisation of venom we will be able to find out the non cross reactive antigens in it and help administer proper anti bodies,” Dileep said.

Though the venom was collected from nine snakes, at present the research is being conducted only on four kinds of venomous snake belonging to the big four venomous snake category i.e. common krait, the spectacled cobra, Russell’s viper and saw-scaled viper. Snakes belonging to this category are believed to be responsible for causing the most snakebite cases in India.

According to Dr Pawan K Dhar, director, Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology (CSSB) who is also heading the research, “The most difficult part in the whole process was the collection of the snake venom and isolation of useful molecules for diagnoses.” He feels that this technology will help in controlling the number of deaths caused due to snake bite, which is a problem in India.

He informed that if things go as planned then this technological advancement will be a great scientific achievement, since most of the deaths that occur due to snake bites is attributed to lack of timely intervention or due to use of wrong anti venom that reacts negatively with the patients body.

“As of today point of care treatment for snake bite is not yet developed in India in spite of large incidences of death and complications because of snake bites. With this technology we intend to bring change in this scenario”, he said.

Administration of wrong anti venom can have ill effects on the victim leading to death, as it may lead to distress of physiological activities in the body. However, with this biosensor technology the scientists hope that through the venom present in the victim’s body fluid around the bite or from the blood, it may be possible one day to detect the snake and administer proper anti venom in time to the patient.

http://www.pharmabiz.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=59265&sectionid=

Another boy escapes crocodile’s jaws

15-year-old Mvelo Dlamini has lived to tell how he was saved from the jaws of death when he came face to face with a crocodile.
His friend, Machawe Mafuleka (15,) is now the hero in the small community of Matsanjeni. Mafuleka saved his friend from the jaws of the raging crocodile while they were swimming at an irrigation stream. The stream runs along the Matsanjeni area up to Nsoko and Nisela.
The two teenagers were swimming with three friends when the reptile attacked Dlamini, grabbing his right arm. While the three took to their heels, Mafuleka was brave enough to stay behind and save his friend.
As the crocodile got hold of Dlamini’s right hand, Mafuleka went for the left hand and pulled to the opposite direction until the crocodile lost its grip. As they were running for safety the crocodile went for his right leg and ripped off the tissues but they managed to escape. According to a source it was a miracle that the Mafuleka was able to save his friend from the raging reptile. Dlamini is currently admitted at the Good Shepherd hospital after suffering a fractured arm and damaged tissues between the foot and the leg but the bones were not affected.
In an almost similar heroic act, last Tuesday a 15-year old Sonnyboy Masilela lived to tell the tale after he was attacked by a crocodile while crossing the Mbuluzi River.
He only sustained a few wounds to his neck and head after the crocodile had attempted unsuccessfully to sink its jaws and he further saved his younger brother (8) who was with him inside the river.
Police PRO Superintendent Wendy Hleta confirmed the incident. She further warned the public to be careful when using rivers more especially with the never ending rains.
“We have gathered from experts that crocodiles migrate to smaller streams and rivers when water swells in dams because they feel insecure. So people should be careful when using rivers where the sand is not visible because there maybe crocodiles,” she said.
Hleta said crocodiles have been spotted in rivers such as Black Mbuluzi, Mlumati and in a stream in Sihlutse.
About crocodiles and
how to protect yourself:
• A crocodile can spend about one to two hours studying its prey very well and monitoring its movement.
• A crocodile can travel about one to two kilometers looking for food.
• In deep waters and flooded rivers they tend to swim against the water flow to find safe places.
• Avoid murky waters

http://www.observer.org.sz/index.php?news=19664

Brown toilet snake

Constable Jarrod Williams got the shock of his life when he lifted the toilet seat at the remote Lajamanu station and found a large King Brown Snake in the toilet. He of course screamed for help and returned with a colleague wielding a shovel and a torch “What? a torch? really?” but by the time the seat came back up the snake was nowhere to be found. It is believed the snake got in through a hole in the wall and likely made a hasty retreat via the same hole. Const Williams isn’t playing any games though. According to him because of the remote location of the station if you were to get bitten you would likely die.

Black Hastings market

Apparently the fine of $220,000 and up to 2 years in jail is not enough to detour people from traveling to Hastings and attempting to smuggle the native snakes out for sale on the black market. Port Macquarie was known for its Stephens Banded Snakes and Intergrade Pythons. Apparently the Intergrade Pythons from that area have a distinct sought after coloration that is hard to reproduce in captivity.

One 50yo man was recently caught after being bitten by one of the Banded snakes and seeking emergency treatment but according to National Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger Andrew Marshall the man was not charged because he did not admit to his intentions to collect and sell the snake on the black market.

Eatery Owner Shocked To Find Lizard In Sauce

ALOR SETAR, Jan 7 (Bernama) — An eatery owner in Langgar town, near here, was shocked to see what she claimed was a dead house lizard in a bottle of sauce which was to be used for cooking on Wednesday.

Nor Hashima Mohd Noor, 29, said the dead lizard was noticed by her worker, Nor Hayati Abu Hassan, 25, who wanted to use the sauce to cook Mee Bandung for a customer.

“When my worker was pouring out the sauce which I had just bought from a nearby sundry shop into a bowl, she saw something whitish with a tail but did not think it was a house lizard.

“But when my friend and I looked at it closely, we were shocked to find that it was a dead lizard,” said Nor Hashima, adding that she tried to contact the manufacturer’s telephone number printed on the label but failed.

She said she also reported the discovery to the Kedah Consumers Association and was now awaiting the result of its investigation.

Nor Hashima said she had been operating her eatery for almost 10 years now and had been using the sauce, but this was the first time that she made such a discovery.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=554832

Orange alligator turns heads in Florida neighborhood

VENICE, FL (CNN) – Alligators may not be an unusual sight in Florida, but not many people can say they’ve seen an orange gator.

One Florida woman says that’s exactly what she saw hanging out in her neighborhood this week and she has a picture to prove it.

“When I was coming back from work this morning, I passed by and I thought I saw what I thought I saw, but I had to back up and come and look again,” said Sylvia Mythen, who saw the gator. “I thought, ‘This is great. I’m going to snap a picture and send it to my grandkids so they think I’m one of the coolest grandmas in Florida.'”

Some neighbors were a little skeptical.

“Some say it was dirt or mud,” said Phillip Crosby, who also saw the gator.

Mythen was close enough, though, that she’s convinced of what she saw.

“I was from him to you away from him and he was orange. So, if it was mud he did a good job of covering himself up, every nook and cranny.”

She contacted a biologist with her discovery.

“His findings were that it’s probably almost an albino, in between. It’s an albino, only a little more colored so he wasn’t a full-fledged albino,” she said.

Florida’s Wildlife Commission says it doesn’t believe the alligator is albino. Instead, it says the gator was likely painted or stained orange or that something in the environment caused the tint.

Whatever the reason, residents say the unique gator is welcome to call their neighborhood home.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13799608

Outgoing Ohio governor orders ban on exotic pets

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Exiting Gov. Ted Strickland banned new exotic pets Thursday in one of the few remaining states without such a restriction, and allowed existing pets to be kept only under tough new rules.

Though Strickland’s emergency executive order is only effective for 90 days, Gov.-elect John Kasich said he saw no immediate reason to reverse it after he takes office Monday.

Ohio was one of fewer than 10 states remaining where wild pet ownership was virtually unchecked.

Strickland’s order called for a ban on the future ownership, breeding, sale, trade or barter of wild animals “that are dangerous to human health and safety.” People who already own exotic pets will now have to register them with the state and will be barred from breeding or selling their boas, chimpanzees, tigers, bears and other wild animals.

The order fulfills Strickland’s end of a deal brokered by his administration with the Humane Society of the United States, other animal rights groups and Ohio’s agribusiness industry. The agreement prompted the Humane Society to withdraw a ballot issue containing a litany of restrictions on pet ownership and treatment and livestock care.

In a statement, he said the agreement “will keep Ohio’s vital agriculture industry profitable while appropriately updating animal care standards.”

“This rule will help protect Ohioans from deaths and serious injuries caused by attacks from dangerous wild animals held in private ownership,” he said.

In August, an animal trainer in Lorain County was mauled to death in a well-publicized attack by a black bear. The animal was properly registered under existing Ohio law.

But the state has some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them, an Associated Press review last year found.

Humane Society president and CEO Wayne Pacelle commended Strickland’s order in a statement Thursday.

“Dangerous wild animals do not belong in the backyards and basements of private citizens,” he said. “It’s bad for the animals and dangerous for people. This emergency order is good for Ohio, and we look forward to seeing it implemented in the months ahead.”

As an emergency measure, Strickland’s order is temporary — running through March 6. However, Kasich said Thursday that he supports the ban in concept.

“We don’t want exotic animals here where somebody’s bringing something in and then some neighbor gets hurt. So we’ll look at it,” he said during a news conference announcing three new cabinet directors. “It sounds reasonable, but just let me take a look at it. I would be inclined to say we should continue it.”

The Humane Society had threatened to revisit its ballot issue if terms of its deal with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and other agriculture interests weren’t met by Dec. 31. The measure would have placed restrictions on the crating and care of livestock that raised concern among farmers. Instead, farm groups spearheaded creation of a state livestock care standards board that is now up and running and hammering out standards with input from both sides.

It requires owners who want to keep exotic pets they have now to register the animals by May 1, and once a year after that. It exempts certain zoos and animal preserves from the ban on ownership, breeding and sale.

The ban will be carried out by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-06/outgoing-ohio-governor-orders-ban-on-exotic-pets.html

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