Boom of snakes in towns and cities after heavy rains and hot weather - how to protect ourselves?

There has been a boom in snakes in towns and cities in recent months due to the heavy rains in June and the hot weather in July.

The municipality of Kresna, South-western Bulgaria, issued a warning to residents to be vigilant about reptiles whenever spending time outdoors.

Deputy Mayor, Valentin Stoichkov, explained that the municipality of Kresna has received several alerts about snakes, mainly grass snakes, spotted on pavements and outside residential buildings.

He called on people who have grass areas in their homes to not allow tall grass as it provides ideal cover for snakes to hide in. mow your grass often and keep it cut short in order to keep snakes away from your yard, he advised.

He also recommended to avoid piling scrap building and construction materials, like wooden boards and pieces of sheet metal, and keep the yards clear of any piles of rubbish.

If you are hiking or walking, be sure to look carefully where you step.

If you see a snake, stay calm, step away, do not touch it and let it pass without disturbing it.

He also explained that the grass snakes can climb trees and vines and therefore you should keep windows and doors closed whenever possible in order to keep snakes out of dining/living/work areas.

If you spot a snake, you should call the emergency 112 services.

He reiterated that prevention is the best way to keep snakes away and explained that the municipality regularly cuts the grass in public areas, including parks, children playgrounds, spaces around kindergartens. He added that the municipality will also spray the grass areas with snake repellents which are harmless for other animals and for people.