West African Gaboon Viper Originally uploaded by TXZeiss
One of the biggest stories getting talks right now is of a 31-year old Winnipeg man who was bitten by one of the worlds most Poisonous Snakes. The snake is a West African Gaboon Viper.
What a West African snake is doing here is still a mystery since Venomous snakes are illegal in Winnipeg (but legal in some parts of Manitoba)
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority says a single drop of the viper’s venom can kill you, but the 31-year old mans fascination with snakes could have saved his life. After getting bitten in the face, he was taken to a hospital by a friend and was able to tell staff what kind of antidote he needed before becoming unconscious. The antidote had to be shipped in from Indian River, Ontario.
It is still unclear where the man was bitten and where the venomous snake is now. They’ve searched the victim’s house with no signs of the snake.
Winnipeg police believe that the snake is in someones possession outside the city and is not on the loose.
