Spanish Language Resources
Venomous Snake Safety - Southeastern US
The southeastern United States supports a wide diversity of native snakes, only six of which are venomous. Venomous snakebite is rare, and is highly treatable -- only 6-7 people die of venomous snakebite in the United States each year. Many venomous snakebites can be prevented by adopting a "leave them be" attitude. In fact, the majority of venomous snakebites occur when an individual attempts to handle, harass, or kill the snake. Anecdotal reports suggest that migrant agricultural workers may be at increased risk of venomous snakebite, as they frequently encounter snakes and often attempt to kill snakes out of fear. We believe that this fear is likely the result of unfamiliarity with the venomous snakes native to the southeastern United States -- the workers simply don't know which snakes are venomous and which are harmless. It is our goal to promote snake safety through education -- by learning to identify the venomous species and to adopt a "leave them be" attitude with all snakes, an individual can greatly reduce the risk of venomous snakebite.
Dr. Steve Johnson and Monica McGarrity of the University of Florida / IFAS Plant City Campus have recently produced an educational poster entitled “Venomous Snakes of the Southeast”, which is available in both English and Spanish. This poster uses a combination of watercolor illustrations, line drawings, maps, and text to describe the six venomous snake species and their look-alikes, where you might find them, and how to recognize a venomous snake. The poster also gives tips for responding to snakebite emergencies -- what you should and should NOT do in case of venomous snakebite. Funding for this project was graciously provided by the university of Florida/IFAS and the USDA / Renewable Resources Extension Act. Original watercolors, line drawings, and poster design by Dale A. Johnson.
Follow this link to preview the Serpientes Venenosas del Sureste de los EEUU poster (3MB pdf)
To request FREE copies of the poster for display at your location, please email Monica McGarrity at monicaem@ufl.edu the following information:
Your Name
Organization/Clinic Name
Full Mailing Address
Contact Information -- Email address and telephone number
Number of posters requested
There are also a variety of fact sheets by Dr. Steve A. Johnson, Dr. Martin B. Main, and Monica E. McGarrity on the topic of snake identification and safety, currently available only in English, that you may find useful. As these materials are translated into Spanish, they will be posted on this webpage. If you would like to be notified when new materials are available (or would like to assist with translation), email Monica McGarrity at monicaem@ufl.edu.