Rising temperatures are bringing snakes out in greater numbers, a seasonal shift highlighted by the recent death of a 78‑year‑old man in Paphos, believed to have been bitten by a blunt‑nosed viper.
Snake handler Yiannis Aggeli told Cypriot media that this is the period when snakes begin moving, mating and searching for food, and urged the public to be especially cautious.
Aggeli said that in the event of a bite, people generally have between two and eight hours to reach a hospital for proper treatment. He stressed that the wound should not be tied or cut.
“Recent studies show that tying the area doesn’t help at all — if it’s too tight, it can cause gangrene and lead to amputation, and cutting the wound only makes it worse,” he said.
