Increasing presence of the horseshoe snake on the island

Increasing presence of the horseshoe snake on the island. | R.L.

Iratxe Pérez & MDB DigitalPalma05/10/2023 14:45
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Invasive species pose a major threat to the native ecosystem. In recent years the population of the horseshoe snake has increased considerably in the Islands and in 2023 alone the COFIB (Consorci per a la Recuperació de la Fauna de les Illes Balears) has captured nearly 3,000 specimens. Bear in mind that in the Balearic Islands there are two species of native snakes, the cobra snake and the water snake, and those considered invasive, which include the white snake and the horseshoe snake.

As explained by the COFIB, adult snakes are usually specimens of more than one metre in length and live near houses where they look for rats and mice, which are their main diet. Although they usually flee from human presence, if cornered they can even bite.

Despite the scare, these species are not dangerous for humans or domestic animals. "The snakes in the Balearics are not dangerous, they are not venomous species. There are no snakes on the islands that are dangerous, unless they are exotic," says Tomàs Bosch, head of the species protection service of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Therefore, the person would suffer the typical bite symptoms with small puncture wounds that are slightly painful and swelling around the area. It would then be sufficient to clean the area with mild soap and water and follow up the wound.

If you have any doubts about the type of snake that has attacked you can contact the COFIB at 653574145 to report its location, and the organisation will also offer help in recognising the snake and how to proceed. It is also recommended to report the incident on the website www.lineaverdecofib.es.