An everyday job of forestry cleaning in Castelo de Vide ended yesterday with one of the firefighters involved being rushed to hospital in a serious condition after being bitten on the hand by a ‘snub nosed viper’ (Vipera latastei) – one of the only poisonous snakes in Portugal. The species is more prevalent in the north, but it can be found occasionally in parts of the Algarve, like Monchique. In this case, the 43-year-old firefighter is stable, but it is not known when he will be discharged as his arm is still badly swollen, and the pains he is suffering have been described as “intense”. The only other poisonous snake species found in Portugal (north of the Douro river, in the Minho/ Trás-os-Montes areas) is the ‘Portuguese viper’ (Vipera seoanei).
Snake bite leaves firefighter in serious condition in hospital
