Stories
Snake-Free Schools: Simple Rules to Keep Venomous Reptiles Away During Rainy Season
- •Snake infestations increase during the rainy season, with school buildings often sought as refuge from waterlogged conditions.
- •To prevent snakes, clear weeds, bushes, and regularly inspect drains, gaps, school boundaries, and gardens for protective measures.
- •Keep school playground and campus lawns mowed short to eliminate snake hiding places, especially as grass grows quickly in rain.
- •Remove piles of bushes, fallen leaves, woodpiles, and construction materials where reptiles and rodents hide.
- •Control rodents by securing garbage bins and eliminating food scraps, and seal any gaps or holes in school walls and foundations.
Key Questions Answered
During the rainy season, waterlogged conditions force snakes out of their regular holes and habitats in search of dry, elevated, and safe places to shelter. Sometimes they also float in during floods or are carried into school premises by strong water currents.
Schools can prevent snakes by clearing weeds, bushes, jungles, and construction debris, and by regularly mowing playground grass to eliminate hiding spots. Additionally, trimming shrubs at least 12 inches above the ground, removing garbage piles, securing trash bins to control rodents, and sealing gaps in boundary walls and foundations with cement or mesh are crucial steps.
Rodents like rats and shrews are drawn to unsecured garbage bins and food scraps left around a campus. Because these small animals serve as a primary food source for snakes, their presence naturally attracts venomous reptiles looking for a meal.
