Diurnal observation of a Malayan Krait Bungarus candidus (Reptilia: Elapidae) feeding inside a building in Thailand

Barnes

Patungtaro

et al. 2021

Ecol Sol and Evidence

Self Cite

1. Snakebite, which was reclassified as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization in 2017, afflicts at least 1.8-2.7 million people worldwide each year. Understanding the habits of medically significant snakes can help us better construct preventative measures which reduce snake-human conflicts and snakebite. 2. As a case study, using radio-telemetry, we monitored a single focal Bungarus candidus individual for 102 days within a suburban landscape (a university dormitory complex) in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. 3. Daily location checks revealed the telemetered snake sheltered within human settlement habitat 75% of the time it was tracked, where we also documented active foraging, a predation event and interactions with humans. 4. Despite being captured and relocated to an adjacent forest on two occasions, the focal animal promptly returned to the dormitories. Translocation as a management tool requires meaningful discussion at the local level and further study, considering the costs and potential limitations for effectiveness. 5. This case study provides brief insight into the ecology and behaviour of one of Asia's most medically significant snake species and highlights challenges current conflict management practices face locally. Our observations appear to lend credibility to preventative measures such as increasing awareness, encouraging the use of flashlights and carefully maintaining buildings so that snakes cannot enter through crevices or plumbing. Snake-human conflict prevention and mitigation techniques require further evaluation to determine the effectiveness of prescribed management methods.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deadly dormmate: A case study on Bungarus candidus living among a student dormitory with implications for human safety

Barnes

Patungtaro

et al. 2021

Ecol Sol and Evidence

Self Cite

“…We recorded two individuals feeding on snakes during the study; both were within anthropogenic land use types (fully reported in 37 , 65 ). The first occurred in a concrete gutter within 2 m of student housing.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

Marshall

Hill

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

Self Cite

Animal movement can impact human–wildlife conflict by influencing encounter and detection rates. We assess the movement and space use of the highly venomous and medically important Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) on a suburban university campus. We radio-tracked 14 kraits for an average of 114 days (min: 19, max: 218), during which we located individuals an average of 106 times (min: 21, max: 229) each. Most individuals displayed some level of attraction to buildings (n = 10) and natural areas (n = 12); we identified a similar unambiguous pattern of attraction to buildings and natural areas at the population level (of our sample). Snakes remained in shelter sites for long durations (max: 94 days) and revisited sites on average every 15.45 days. Over 50% of locations were within human settlements and 37.1% were associated with buildings. We found generally seasonal patterns of activity, with higher activity in wet seasons, and lower activity in the hot season. These results show frequent proximity between Malayan kraits and humans at the university; thereby, suggesting a near constant potential for human-wildlife conflict. Despite the fact that no snakebites from this species occurred at the university during our study period, substantial education and awareness training should be considered to ensure continued coexistence on campus.

“…We recorded two individuals feeding on snakes during the study; both were within anthropogenic land use types (fully reported elsewhere by Hodges, D’souza and Jintapirom, 2020; Hodges et al, 2021). The first occurred in a concrete gutter within 2 meters of student housing.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape

Marshall

Hill

et al. 2021

Preprint

Self Cite

Animal movement can impact human-wildlife conflict through a variety of features: increased movement can lead to greater chance of encounter, remaining still can lead to greater or lesser detection, and activity can modulate their impact on humans. Here we assess the movement and space use of the highly venomous and medically important Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) on a suburban university campus. We radio-tracked 14 kraits for an average of 114 days (min: 19, max: 218), with an average of 106 fixes (min: 21, max: 229). We assessed movement pathways and activity with dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement models, evaluated patterns of revisitation to identify site fidelity, and determined whether individuals selected for particular land-use types with Integrated Step Selection Functions. Most individuals displayed some level of attraction to buildings (n = 10) and natural areas (n = 12); we identified a similar unambiguous pattern of attraction to buildings and natural areas at the population level (of our sample). Snakes remained in shelter sites for long periods of time (max = 94 days) and revisited sites on average every 15.45 days. Over 50% of fixes were within human settlements and 37.1% were associated with buildings. We found generally seasonal patterns of activity, with higher activity in wet seasons (when classes are typically in session on campus), and lower activity in the hot season (when there are a number of short breaks causing students to leave campus). These results show frequent proximity between Malayan kraits and humans at Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand; thereby, suggesting a near constant potential for human-wildlife conflict. Despite the fact that no snakebites from this species occurred at the university during our study period, substantial education and awareness training should be considered to raise awareness to ensure continued coexistence on campus.