'Miraculous' snake stirs wonder among Baringo residents

It is not common for snakes to give birth even though some hatch eggs inside of themselves before releasing live offspring. 

To some people, however, snakes can only lay eggs, which later hatch on their own. Such a belief is widespread among residents of Baringo South who witnessed a rare spectacle on Saturday when a huge puff adder "gave birth" to 21 young ones. 

The residents of Sabor sublocation could not come to terms with the incident. It was scary and "mysterious" for a snake to give birth. They said there was no scientific validation for that.

Some women tending their crops spotted the huge, one-metre-long viper. It lay immobile on the farm. Out of fear, the women called for help. 

“We were a group of six women cultivating our millet farm at the time when one of us suddenly spotted and nearly stepped on the spotty, scaly beast lying on the ground,” Kobilo Chirchir said on Monday.

They called a man in the neighbourhood who came and killed the snake by hitting it on the head and the body.

“When he tried to lift the carcass up, one of the stick-wounds below the belly released snakelets, one after the other. We were shocked and nearly dropped our farm tools to run away,” said another woman, who only identified herself as Chepekeitany.

Soon, they gained courage and stood to watch "the new wonder of the world". More baby snakes came out alive as the man pressed the abdomen of the dead mother. They counted up to 21. Eggs also popped out.

The man crushed the young snakes and the eggs, cautioning that they would breed and multiply, fill the entire village and cause problems.

The area, located in the lower southern parts of Baringo county, is known for snakebites, which have claimed many lives, among them children, and left many others maimed. 

"Even if I did not go to school, the little knowledge and experience I have with snakes are that they always lay eggs, which are later left to hatch on their own but this has just happened as a miracle and a shocker to our village,” Hellen Kimator said.

Kimator asked scientists to visit the area and carry out comprehensive research on the "bizarre phenomenon". She also cautioned that the place could be harbouring a large population of the species.

For his part, however, village elder Kiptoo Arap Chekurui said that culturally, such 'bizarre' incidents portend bad omen and are in most cases linked to witchcraft.

“So in case snakes are found roaming near people’s homes, they ought to be killed and sacrifices are made immediately to appease the gods,” he said.

Other residents warned of the dangers they face given the presence of the snake species in the region. 

“Their black-spotty colour gives them the advantage to camouflage and appear like stones and soil on the ground. If one stumbles or steps on it, it bites. The victim’s chances of survival become very minimal,” said James Komen, a resident and Baringo South constituency office coordinator.

Expert Gibert Kiptalam from Gilbert Nature Trust, however, said puff adder belongs to ovoviviparous animals that produce eggs, which develop and hatch within the body.

“They will come out alive when the maturity period comes. Many people will perceive it as giving birth. At times, a female puff adder may hatch up to 120 snakelets,” Kiptalam said.

Kenya Wildlife Service senior county deputy warden David Cheruiyot criticised the residents for killing the viper.

“It was relaxing in its own habitat. Why disturb or kill? The best thing they should have done was to report it to us so we could go capture and bring into our custody,” Cheruiyot said.

He urged the residents to report such incidents and snakebites or injures so necessary action is taken to protect wildlife and humans.