BEWARE OF SNAKES UNDER THE TALL GRASS EXPERTS PREDICT SURGE IN SIGHTINGS.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - This winter's record rainfall may result in a boom in the area's population of snakes, which thrive in the tall grass and feed on the rodents that live there, experts say.

Officials are warning hikers to beware of poisonous rattlesnakes, like the Southern Pacific and Mojave Green, when venturing into the High Desert.

``There are more lizards and insects out there now because they both have more food so we could see an increase in snakes,'' said Los Angeles County Park Ranger Jack Farley. ``People just have to be really careful about where they step.''

The danger was highlighted last week, when a 4-year-old girl was bitten by a poisonous snake while looking at wildflowers with her family on 110th Street West and Avenue I in Lancaster. She is expected to recover fully.

Hospital officials say they see about five snakebite victims a year, most of whom can be treated without antivenom.

``The antivenom has its own side effects so we don't want to use it unless we have to,'' said Dr. Mark Brown, chief of the Antelope Valley Hospital emergency room.

Brown said that, typically, snake bites are not as severe as most people fear. The amount of venom necessary to actually kill a grown man would be substantial and that someone being injected with that much venom is very rare.

``The mortality rate for snakebites is almost zero,'' Brown said. ``People in good health rarely have problems.''

Brown said the severity of the bite is also determined by the type of snake.

The most common snakebites are caused by the Southern Pacific rattlesnake in Los Angeles County, but, in the Mojave Desert, the Mojave Green is also present.

Virtually every rattlesnake found in Southern California injects a digestive enzyme that begins to break down the tissue of its prey so that the snake can eat it quickly. The Mojave Green, however, injects a digestive enzyme with a powerful neurotoxin that attacks the nervous system and can paralyze its prey.

Park and Forest Service officials recommend anyone spending their day in outdoor activities wear leather boots or shoes with high sides and jeans to deflect possible bites from snakes.

They also recommend carrying a stick and making a lot of noise while walking or hiking in brush or tall grass to avoid startling a snake.

``You never know how a snake will react if you startle them,'' Brown said. ``They use their heat radar to determine the size of their prey and its distance and when they encounter an animal as large as a human, it goes all haywire. They may strike and not inject any venom or they may dump their load. You never know.''

Health officials said that anyone bitten by a poisonous snake should remain calm. If possible, keep the bite area immobile and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Brown said that old methods of dealing with snakebites - such as cutting the affected area or sucking out the poison or placing a tourniquet above the bite area - are not only ineffective but could cause more problems.

``Unless you're two days into a backpacking trip, you can usually get medical attention relatively quickly,'' Brown said. ``But the venom doesn't travel very fast anyway.''

Brown also recommends getting a description of the snake and not trying to catch the snake to show to doctors, which could be potentially more dangerous than the original bite.

Brown said Antelope Valley Hospital keeps its antivenom, which has a shelf life between two and three years, refrigerated until it is needed. Doctors evaluate the bite watching for symptoms in areas other than where the bite occurred and administer the antivenom only if needed.

Despite recent concerns of a shortage of antivenom, technicians as AVH's lab said they have plenty on hand for even the most severe conditions.

``People just have to look where they're walking,'' Farley said. ``Remember that when you're looking at that pretty patch of wildflowers, you don't know what's under those flowers.''

Greg Botonis, [phone]

greg.botonis(at)dailynews.com

BE SAFE

Here are precautions for hikers or casual walkers:

--Watch where you put your hands and feet. Don't step over a log or rock if you can't see on the other side. Don't climb ledges or rocky hillsides if you can't see your next handhold. Don't reach under a rock or into a hole if you don't know what's there.

--Wear high boots with loose jeans over them when hiking through brush.

--Avoid dead rattlesnakes. Many people have been bitten by the reflex action of dead snakes.

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