Taitung County authorities yesterday urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid disturbing snakes in the wild, following five reported snakebite cases in the county so far this year.
Taitung County Fire Department secretary Lin Chien-cheng (林建誠) said two of the cases were in Donghe Township (東河) and involved the Taiwan habus, one person was bit by a Chinese pit viper near the South Link Railway and the remaining two were caused by unidentified snakes.
He advised residents near fields to be cautious of snakes hiding in shady indoor areas, especially when entering or leaving their homes at night.
Photo courtesy of the Taitung County Government
In case of a snake bite, Lin urged people to stay calm and, if possible, identify the snake to assist doctors in administering the appropriate antivenom.
The county’s Public Health Bureau said that anyone bitten should be taken to the hospital immediately.
All 16 townships in the county have snake antivenom available, the bureau added.
Taitung County Agriculture Department head Hsu Chia-hao (許家豪) said that snake activity peaks between May and October each year, during Taitung’s hottest and most humid months.
The period sees a significant increase in snake reports, with 565 cases last year — about 70 percent of the total that year, Hsu said, adding that reports are highest during August.
Snakes tend to inhabit areas overgrown with weeds or cluttered with debris, he said.
To reduce the chances of snakes entering homes, he recommended keeping surroundings clean to discourage prey, such as mice, from breeding.
People should avoid walking through overgrown weeds or moving rocks during outdoor activities, Hsu said, adding that if they encounter a snake, they should not disturb or attempt to remove it.
They should call 1999 to report the sighting, and local authorities would dispatch professionals to handle the situation, he said.
Many of Taiwan’s snakes are endangered and play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance by eating mice, so killing them is not recommended, the official said.
The Taitung County Government said most snakes do not actively attack humans, but react defensively when threatened.
The public is advised to follow three principles to ensure personal safety and ecological protection: Do not move, do not startle and report immediately.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS