Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Don’t kill snakes -Conservationists

Don’t kill snakes -Conservationists

As snake season stretches from August through May, experts are urging the public to resist the impulse to kill snakes, and instead see them as crucial allies in maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

For local conservationist and snake handler Jacobus Henn, the mission is clear: protect snakes and protect the environment. 

Working alongside renowned herpetologist Francois Theart, he has co-managed the Snakes of Namibia group since 2018, and has been at the frontline of education and snake rescue in both urban and rural areas.

“People often panic when they see a snake,” Henn says. “But snakes are not out to harm us. They’re just following food sources like rats, mice, lizards and frogs, many of which are drawn to human waste and garden debris.”

Snakes are nature’s pest control, he said. 

One adult mole snake can eat up to 10 000 rodents in its lifetime. That is not just impressive, but critical.  Rats and mice are major carriers of disease and without natural predators like snakes, their populations can explode, threatening both human health and food security.

Yet, fear and misinformation still lead to unnecessary killings of snakes.

“There’s no effective snake repellent,” Henn adds. “No sprays, no special plants, no diesel or petrol will keep them away. The only real solution is a clean yard without garbage, no building rubble and no excessive vegetation.”

Namibia’s biodiversity is one of its greatest treasures, but also one of its most sensitive. With urban expansion pushing deeper into natural habitats, human-snake encounters are inevitable. When that happens, experts recommend calling trained professionals rather than taking matters into your own hands.

“Trying to kill a snake, especially a venomous one, puts you at greater risk,” he says. “These animals are fast, and bites can be deadly. But if you leave it alone and call a snake catcher, it can be safely removed and relocated.”

The warning comes as the continent faces a shortage of life-saving anti-venom. Namibia currently has around 300 vials in stock, which is a manageable but limited supply. Elsewhere in Africa, the situation is far more dire. Countries like Kenya are in urgent need of tens of thousands of doses, with access limited by both availability and high costs.

Public education is a key part of prevention. The Snakes of Namibia team regularly visits schools, rural villages and community centres to teach people how to identify, avoid and safely live alongside snakes. “We don’t want people to live in fear. We want them to understand that these animals are not the enemy,” Henn says. “Killing snakes not only disrupts the balance of the ecosystem, but can also be dangerous.” isipunga@nepc.com.na