\n Resident Lee Hardy reported the sightings on Thursday, September 18, as growing numbers of snakes are being seen across the North East during the late summer sunshine.\n<\/p>\n
\n Adders at Northumberland\u2019s Simonside Hills(Image: LEE HARDY)\n<\/p>\n
\n Adders are Britain\u2019s only native venomous snake.\n<\/p>\n
\n Though shy and rarely aggressive, they can deliver a painful bite if disturbed, and dogs roaming through long grass are particularly at risk.\n<\/p>\n
\n This year, several pets have needed urgent vet treatment after being bitten in County Durham, including in Frosterley and Hamsterley Forest.\n<\/p>\n
\n Adders on the path at Northumberland\u2019s Simonside Hills(Image: LEE HARDY)\n<\/p>\n
\n Experts say the snakes, which grow up to 80cm and are recognisable by their zig-zag patterned backs, are enjoying a resurgence thanks to healthy upland habitats.\n<\/p>\n
\n Wildlife groups are reminding the public that adders are protected by law and should never be handled or harmed.\n<\/p>\n
Walkers are urged to:<\/p>\n
Stick to marked trails<\/p>\n
Keep dogs under control<\/p>\n
\n Seek urgent medical or veterinary help if bitten\n<\/p>\n
Confirmed Sighting Locations Include:<\/p>\n
Rookhope, Weardale \u2013 Captured on camera by Jake Lawson on May 1<\/p>\n
Fatfield, Gateshead \u2013 Reported by Robert Wells near a fishing pond<\/p>\n
Derwent Reservoir, near Consett \u2013 Photographed basking in heather by Christopher Bennett<\/p>\n
Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve \u2013 Regularly seen by Durham Wildlife Trust volunteer Malcolm Wilkinson<\/p>\n
Pine Woods, Frosterley \u2013 One dog was bitten during a walk with its family<\/p>\n
Hamsterley Forest \u2013 Another dog, Dora the dachshund, was bitten on a trail in late April<\/p>\n
Venom and Risk<\/p>\n
\n Though venomous, adders are non-aggressive and pose very little danger to humans. Bites typically occur only when a snake is stepped on or picked up.\n<\/p>\n
Symptoms of a bite: Pain, swelling, and in rare cases nausea or dizziness<\/p>\n
Risk groups: Small children, the elderly, or people with health issues are more vulnerable<\/p>\n
Treatment: Seek immediate medical help. Most bites are not life-threatening, but prompt care is essential<\/p>\n
Adder and Pet Safety<\/p>\n
\n Recent reports of dogs being bitten in Frosterley and Hamsterley Forest have prompted fresh calls for vigilance.\n<\/p>\n
Advice for Walkers and Dog Owners:<\/p>\n
Stick to clear paths and avoid walking through long grass or undergrowth<\/p>\n
Keep dogs on leads in known adder habitats during spring and summer<\/p>\n
Never try to touch or handle a snake<\/p>\n
If your dog is bitten:<\/p>\n
Keep them calm and as still as possible<\/p>\n
Contact your vet immediately<\/p>\n
Avoid touching the bite or applying pressure<\/p>\n
If safe, try to remember or photograph the snake for identification<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Resident Lee Hardy reported the sightings on Thursday, September 18, as growing numbers of snakes are being seen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":150857,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[90,56,54,55,4407],"class_list":{"0":"post-150856","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-science","9":"tag-uk","10":"tag-united-kingdom","11":"tag-unitedkingdom","12":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150856\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}