Animals Gone Wild: Banded Krait Fatally Bites Indonesian Man

YOGYAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – An Indonesian man in Yogyakarta province’s Gunungkidul Regency had the misfortune to be at the wrong time and place.

Identified as Anton Subagyo, the 37 year-old sales representative was not caught up in the crossfire between armed rival gangs or insurgents.

Instead, the 37-year old was unlucky enough to get between a venomous snake and its prey.

The head of the Playen Sectoral Police, Police Grand Commissioner Attendant Hajar Wahyudi, said the incident occurred at 4: 30 in the morning of Sunday, May 16.

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“Anton was sleeping in the living room of his house, when he was jolted awake by a mouse that jumped on his body. The rodent was trying to escape from a banded krait [bungarus fasciatus] that was trying to prey on him,” he asserted.

“Anton's hand reflexively struck the banded krait, prompting the reptile to bite him. Though he stayed conscious long enough to kill the one meter snake, he was hospitalized a few hours afterwards after complaining of pains and other envenomation symptoms.”

SHUTTERSTOCK A banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus).

Hajar added that the medical care came too late to save him. “Anton died on 9:30 am, five hours after he was bitten. He was then interred at 3:30 pm.” Hajar urged the public to keep an eye out on poisonous snakes in their surroundings.

Also read: Animals Gone Wild: 3-Meter Reticulated Python Captured in Indonesian Housing Complex

“I suggest frequent cleaning of one’s surroundings, especially nooks and crannies that snakes use to hide out or build their nests. If one does run into a snake, then I suggest that they report their find to the authorities.”

Venomous snakes such as banded kraits as well as cobras, as well as non-venomous snakes like pythons, are among the wild animals likely to clash with humans, as their search for rodents and other prey often take them to houses and other human habitations.

Along with other species such as crocodiles, tigers, sun bears and other predators, snake versus human standoffs occur as both creatures clash over land and habitat.

(Writer: Markus Yuwono, Yogyakarta Contributor | Editor : Aprillia Ika)

Sources: 

https://regional.kompas.com/read/2021/05/17/105121978/dilompati-tikus-yang-dikejar-ular-welang-saat-tidur-anton-tewas-dipatuk?page=all#page2.