Elapidae

HOSPITAL TREATMENT It is always difficult to distinguish venomous and non-venomous snake bite, the patient with the history of any snake bite should be admitted in the hospital for observation. Airway breathing and circulation should be stabilized in hospital if needed. The patients vital sign, oxygen saturation, urine output should be closely monitored. After taking the history a quick and through physical examination should be performed. IV access in one or both unaffected limb should be established. Isotonic saline should be initiated as fluid resuscitation if there is any evidence of hemodynamic instability. If it’s possible the snake should be identified. The required investigation should be done and features of systemic or local envenoming should be determined. If there are any indication antivenoms should be started without any delay. If there is any tight tourniquets or bands it should be removed once IV access has been obtained and there is availability of antivenom and resuscitation facility. Due to sudden release of pressure bandage or tight tourniquet it may result in dramatic development of severe systemic envenoming. For objective evaluation of the progression of local envenomation, the level of swelling in the bitten extremity should be marked and limb circumferences measured every 5min until swelling has stabilized. The extremity should be positioned at the level of heart during the period of observation. Victims of neurotoxic envenomation should be watched…

This paper offers a well researched written account of the predator prey relationships between the honey badger and one of its prey specie in the family Elapidae, which are venomous snakes. This paper looks to studies done in Africa by Dr. Begg and his colleague’s. They looked at the diet and foraging behavior of the honey badger. Other studies such as the ones done by Danielle Drabeck have looked at the venom resistance of Honey badgers. This paper especially focuses on predator prey…