Baruch dayan emet.* A man was bitten in the face by a snake yesterday in the yard of his Moshav Shavei Tsion home, in Israel's north. He died shortly after an ambulance brought him to the hospital in Nahariya. Jerusalem Post carries the story here. The radio news today added that after waking up from their winter sleep, snakes are especially active and that the venomous ones now have a full load of venom.Several months ago I was exploring what a bulldozer had done on the edge of the woods several terraces down the mountainside. I was so busy moving into the right spot for some photos and fiddling with the camera that I walked right next to this snake shown above. Only when turning back did I see the viper. I was in a spot where there was no going up or down or around, so I just stood still and prayed hard. After several very long minutes of neither of us moving, I concluded--hoped-- that he was dead and walked on by. Since I'm here typing now, you know he was.
*Baruch dayan emet is the Hebrew blessing we must say first thing when hearing bad news. It means blessed is the righteous Judge.
To see other bloggers' (hopefully happier) animal photos today, visit Camera Critters.
Sunday update: The radio news today announced that the offending snake was a nachash tsefa, like the one in the photo. I think in English it is called "Palestinian viper."
oh...scary for me :D
ReplyDeleteVisit mine also in here Thanks
nice shot
ReplyDeleteMy CC in here Thanks
Oh boy, after reading your post, this photo is rather frightening... be careful out there!
ReplyDeleteRocky Mountain Retreat
Dina: What a scary story, snakes and I do not get along. I made a post once on scary stories and there was a snake story there.
ReplyDeleteThe photo is wonderful none the less and I'm proud of you for making the capture.
Thanks for being brave to read this post, Juliana and Picturing.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, Michele, since then I am more aware of where I put my feet. Around my house the mongoose (posted May 25) seems to eliminate any snake visitors.
Fishing Guy, can you send a link to your scary snake story?
I am not afraid of anything, but that photo and story raised the hair on the back of my neck.
ReplyDeleteGood photo and thanks for sharing.
Come visit CC,
Troy
Normally snakes do not bother me at all, but highly poisonous ones are a different story! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteMy entry is posted here:
My Life In The Urban Zoo
Stop by if you have a moment, and have a great week ahead!
Dina: Here is the link to the snake story.
ReplyDeletehttp://thefishingguy.blogspot.com/2007/10/scariest-fishing-trip-2_27.html
I hope you can paste it in and get a good laugh.
The snake blends in so well with it's environment that I can see where you wouldn't notice it at first glance. I'm glad you weren't harmed in any way. Thanks for sharing the photo!
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a story!!! I am SO SO glad you came out of that situation OK.
ReplyDeleteI posted a snake too, but I made my husband take the picture of it cuz there is no way I'm going near a snake.
ReplyDeleteFirst one seen today Hi Dina sk
ReplyDeleteThank goodness you are OK Dina...I didn't know you were supposed to rest if you are bitten as the article says. Yhat would be pretty difficult to do.
ReplyDeleteWow, that gives me the chills. I'm glad you were ok. Scary.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful header/banner photo! I had no idea Jerusalem was so gorgeous.
He certainly wouldn't be easy to see!
ReplyDeleteGreat shot.
Lots of snakes today yikes i will be dreaming of them nice shot tho
ReplyDeleteA very close call! And did you discover if this snake was indeed dead ... or just not willing to make the effort to bite you? I need to be watchful for snakes of a different type in the city.
ReplyDeleteI do like your critters. Thaey are never obvious animals. Very interesting post and a great shot.
ReplyDeleteScary! So glad he is dead when you found him!
ReplyDeleteMust have been very venomous for the man to die so quickly.
ReplyDeleteNice shot and exiting story.
ReplyDeleteDina, you know no good ever comes from snakes...! :) I've noticed your pics on Picture This! They are wonderful. I have a CC post up too.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are ok~ ! here's my blog: http://blackie-bob.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteGlad you're ok and lived to tell of this snake encounter.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are safe. Be careful!
ReplyDeleteYikes! I don't like snakes one way or another but dead sees to have been good in your case.
ReplyDeleteYou are brave indeed! In Indonesia were I lived as a child we had once a snake in the house and so had my daughter in Australia. I always fear that one of us will be bitten by a Taipan or a King Brown, the two most venomous snakes in Australia. I don't mind the treesnake or the python though.
ReplyDeleteThanks, all dear readers, for your concern and comments.
ReplyDeleteWil, that would be THE worst, to have a snake in the house! Oi veh!
Wish I could send your daughter the mongoose but it would cause panic at Australia Customs.
OK, why is the python OK with you???
The Teach, hehe, yes, poor snakes, ever since God took away their legs in the Garden of Eden, it's been downhill all the way for them.
Tipper, the doctor said that snake bites to the face are almost always fatal. :(
Babooshka, yeah, here in the hills seems to be a good area for unusual critters.
Chuck, how did you guess?! I confess, after I got a safe distance away I could not resist throwing a stone near the snake to see if it would move. Dead as a doornail. Strange that it had no wounds showing. Take care with your two-legged snakes in the city.
Rhea, welcome. The banner shows one side of my moshav or village. It is in the Jerusalem Hills, just outside the city. Jerusalem herself is beautiful in a different way.
Michelle, true. Guess the idea of not moving is not to let the venom circulate. If the man was carrying his cellphone, maybe he was--he could have plopped down and called the ambulance or his family for help. I am one of the last Israelis not to own a cellphone.
Fishing Guy, I loved all three of your scary stories.
Everyone, I'm having fun seeing all your animals. Shalom.
Interesting post and link -- scary too.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many photographers have gotten into some kind of potentially harmful situation while concentrating on taking a photo and/or fiddling around with camera settings? Many, I'd imagine.
Oh good grief! That's so scary. Good thing we don't have snakes in Hawaii. Yahoo!
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