Snakes and Adders
The mention of the word "Snake" and many people will want to run for the hills - though that may be the wrong place to run! Even the most rational person can have the most most irrational phobias about snakes. They invoke fear, loathing and trepidation. But, do snakes really deserve such bad PR? In Scotland, the facts suggest not, for it is very rare for a person to get bitten, let alone suffer serious consequences from a snake bite. In fact, you have to go back nearly half a century, to 1975, to find the last recorded snake bite fatality in Scotland.
Below, we will attempt to convince you that although Scotland does have venomous snakes, they are not a threat to your cycling enjoyment in the Grampian hills, we will give some advice on what to do if you are lucky enough to spot a wild snake, and also we will provide a guide on what to do in the extremely unlikely event that you, your dog, or one of your cycling buddies get bitten by a snake.
Snakes in Scotland
📷 Nick Dobbs
There is only one snake native to Scotland; the adder.
The adder is easily recognised by a dark, continuous 'zig-zag' stripe along its back. There is also a row of dark spots along each side. The background colour varies from grey-white in the male to shades of brown or copper in the female. Young adders are copper, light brown or reddish, with darker brown markings. Completely black adders occur in some areas. Adders are small in size, around 60 to 80cm in length, and have rather a stocky appearance.
📷 Nick Dobbs
Grass snakes are occasionally found in the wild in Scotland though it is generally believed that these are escaped pets.
The only other native reptile in Britain which is likely to be confused with the adder is the slow worm, which is actually a legless lizard, not a snake.
Adders are venemous. However, adder venom, compared to that of many other venomous snakes, is relatively mild and human fatalities from adder bites are extremely rare. Grass snakes, and slow worms are not venomous and are harmless to humans, pets and livestock.
Where are Adders Found?
Adders are found throughout Scotland, including the Grampian region, though in many areas they are locally rare. They can be found in many different types of habitat, including heathland, moorland, peatland, coastal dunes, cliffs and old quarries, and chalk downland. You can find all these habitats in Aberdeenshire and Moray.
How Common are Adder Bites?
The chance of being bitten by an adder is very low. Each year there are millions of visits to areas where adders can be found, yet very few bites occur. Comprehensive figures are not documented, but research indicates that there are around 50-100 adder bites to people per year in Great Britain.
Compare that to the Government's estimated figures of 250,000 people attending minor injury and emergency units each year due to dog bites.
How do People Get Bitten?
Adder bites tend to happen when the snake attempts to defend itself from perceived harm. This typically happens when an adder is picked up, or a person puts their hand or foot close to the snake. Most adder bites occur to the hand or arm, with slightly lower numbers to the foot, and much lower numbers to other parts of the body. Evidence suggests that many bites occur when a person picks up the snake. Genuinely "accidental" bites also occur, for instance after inadvertently treading on or close to an adder whilst walking through long grass.
What Time of Year do Adder Bites Occur?
The majority of Scottish adder bites occur between April and September, with a marked peak in July-August. This pattern probably reflects the outdoor activity of people, combined with the seasonal behaviour patterns of adders in Scotland.
What to do if You Encounter an Adder?
First thing to do, is to consider yourself extremely lucky! Habitat loss, persecution and agricultural intensification have all led to a decline in the population of Scottish snakes. In fact, research published in early 2019 shows that in 20 years time adders may be restricted to a small number of sites as the adder population in Scotland is currently experiencing a dramatic decline.
📷 Roger McPhail
Second thing - look, but do not touch. Just leave it alone and let it move away quietly of its own accord. Chances are you will want to take a photo, which is cool. But don't get too close, maintain social distancing - at least 2m. Selfie stick anyone?
Adders will hiss and pretend to strike as a warning. If you see this activity, you are too close, so move away.
Do not do anything to harm the adder. Adders are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and classified as a Priority Species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. It is illegal to kill, injure, harm or sell adders.
And lastly, when you get home, log your sighting with The Record Pool. The Record Pool is an online recording tool, which collects information on reptiles and amphibians in the UK and makes it available, locally and nationally, for conservation purposes. It aims to capture data that would otherwise be lost to the conservation community. It only takes a couple of minutes, and you will be helping with the conservation of wild snakes in Scotland.
What to do if Bitten by an Adder
DO remain calm and don't panic
DO try to remember the shape, size and colour of the snake
DO keep the part of your body that's been bitten as still as possible to prevent the venom spreading around your body
DO take off any jewellery and loosen clothes near the bite, in case it swells
DO lie in the recovery position if you can, and take paracetamol for any pain
DO seek immediate medical attention
DO NOT attempt to remove any clothing, but loosen clothing if possible
DO NOT try to suck or cut the venom out of the bite, or make it bleed
DO NOT rub anything into the wound or apply ice, heat or chemicals
DO NOT tie anything tightly round the part of the body where the bite is
DO NOT leave someone who's been bitten on their own
DO NOT try to catch or kill the snake
Effects of an Adder Bite
Effects may include: shock; severe pain at the location of the bite; swelling, redness and bruising at the location of the bite; nausea and vomiting; diarrhoea; itchy lumps on the skin; swelling of the lips, tongue, gums and throat; breathing difficulties; mental confusion, dizziness or fainting; irregular heartbeat. Not all of these will be seen in all cases, and the severity of symptoms varies substantially. In around 70% of cases there is no or very little envenomation (transfer of venom), leading to only local symptoms such as pain and swelling. The first symptoms may take from a few minutes to hours to become evident. It is estimated that in around one third of all adder bites, the snake does not actually inject any venom (this is called a dry bite). In this case the patient may experience mild pain from the wound caused by the snake’s teeth, a risk of infection, and anxiety.
Where to Mountain Bike
Whilst we can not guarantee that the wild mountain bike trails mentioned below are adder free they are definitely worth visiting.
Ben Aigan
Ben Aigan in the heart of Whisky country offers an exposed circular mountain bike trail which provides superb views over parts of the Spey Valley. Tough climbing in parts and free flowing descents.
Clachnaben
Iconic Clachnaben offers a classic circular mountain bike trail which makes you feel as if you are truly remote. Grinding ascents, a technical and exposed rocky descent, fast flowing forest sections and gentle firebreak sections. Ace!
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