NAHAApril 03 (News On Japan) – As the warmth of spring sets in, a warning is being issued about the venomous habu snakes common in Japan’s southern islands.
During a training session, Eitaku Tomiyama of the Amami Tourism Habu Center said, “Five to 10 minutes after being bitten, the area turns pitch black and begins to swell, followed by throbbing pain.”
The training session was aimed at teaching participants how to catch habu snakes. Participants included police officers newly assigned to Amami Oshima Island this spring.
Last year, 22 people on Amami Oshima were bitten by habu, and their activity is expected to increase. Experts advise: “Habu reacts and bites reflexively upon sensing human body heat, not by vision. As soon as they detect body heat, they instinctively bite. If you do not keep a distance of at least 1.5 meters, there is a chance that you will be bitten. The most important thing is that you don’t get close.”
Source: ANN
