Sri Lanka
admin2019-02-21T05:11:51-08:00On a recent trip we met some interesting people and amazing animals. Heavily affected by snakes bites, Sri Lanka is always beautiful and humbling
Ex-Durban snake handler dies after Black Mamba bite
admin2019-02-21T05:08:58-08:00https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/ex-durban-snake-handler-dies-after-black-mamba-bite-17255006 Durban - A former Phoenix resident whose lifelong passion was snakes died at the weekend after being bitten by a Black Mamba while extracting its venom for medical use. Ryan Soobrayan, a professional herpetologist died in hospital on Saturday, a day before his 27th birthday. Soobrayan, who relocated with his parents from Durban to [...]
In vivo neutralization of dendrotoxin-mediated neurotoxicity of black mamba venom by oligoclonal human IgG antibodies
admin2019-02-21T05:08:51-08:00https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-06086-4 The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is one of the most feared snake species of the African savanna. It has a potent, fast-acting neurotoxic venom comprised of dendrotoxins and α-neurotoxins associated with high fatality in untreated victims. Current antivenoms are both scarce on the African continent and present a number of drawbacks as they are [...]
What is Snake Pharm
admin2019-05-01T13:16:55-08:00Snake Pharm is a biotech company exploring the potential of natural resistances to venom, with a goal of developing a low cost, highly effective treatment to snake bite.
Hooding behavior in Stilettos
admin2018-09-17T13:49:00-08:00Fig. 1. Atractaspis fallax PETERS 1867 Small-scaled Burrowing Asp HOODING AND CORKSCREW BEHAVIOUR The behaviour described here happened during a photo session with two snakes and does not appear to have been recorded before. Initially, the larger animal assumed the typical Atractaspis defence attitude (Branch, 1998, Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of [...]
Snake Pharm: Iquitos, Peru
admin2019-02-21T05:08:33-08:00Snake Pharm recently headed to the Amazon rain forest in Peru. The goal was to collaborate with the veterinary school to help with research and development of snake bite treatments.
Neglected Tropical Diseases
admin2019-05-01T13:20:44-08:00Snakebites kill more than 100,000 people per year, the World Health Organization estimates. The organization recently took a step to reduce that number by adding venomous snake bites to its list of neglected tropical diseases – a classification that could help get more resources allocated to fighting this public health problem. (WHO did acknowledge that [...]