Police Train to Catch Habu Snakes After 22 Bite Incidents

NAHA, Apr 03 (News On Japan) - As the warmth of spring settles in, a warning is being issued for the venomous habu snakes prevalent on Japan's southern islands.

During a training session, Eitaku Tomiyama from the Amami Tourism Habu Center commented: "Five to ten minutes after being bitten, the area turns pitch black and starts to swell, followed by throbbing pain."

The training session was designed to teach participants how to capture habu snakes. Those who joined included police officers newly assigned to the island of Amami Oshima this spring.

Last year, 22 people on Amami Oshima were bitten by habu, and their activity is expected to increase. Experts advise: "Habu react and bite reflexively upon sensing human body heat, not by vision. The moment they detect body heat, they bite instinctively. If you're not at least 1.5 meters away, there's a chance you could be bitten. The most important thing is not to get close."

Source: ANN

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