Egypt wages war on snakes using egg and tuna

Egypt wages war on snakes using egg and tuna
Egypt's government uses egg to fight poisonous snakes thriving in the Egyptian Delta.
2 min read
16 April, 2019
Snares were also put up to catch the unwelcome creatures [Getty]

Egypt's government has announced that egg and tuna will be used to cull poisonous snakes thriving in the Egyptian Delta, media reports noted on Tuesday.

Egyptian agriculture, health, environment ministries as well as the Ministry of Local Development have used the slogan "egg is the solution" during their campaign.

The government has purchased thousands of eggs and injected them with poison. The eggs were subsequently scatted across farmlands in the region.

Five thousand poisonous eggs have been placed on the coastal Beheira Governorate, located in the northern part of the country in the Nile Delta.

Snares were also put up to catch the unwelcome creatures.

Inhabitants of neighbouring Monufia Governorate also reported the same, confirming that they found eggs and tuna in what was supposed to be traps to catch the snakes.

The government used these tactics to fight the carnivorous reptiles last year, but without much success. However, the government insists to bet on this method.

Dr Mohammed Ali, an agricultural expert, said snakes cannot be killed using this method, as they tend to instinctively steer away from poisonous objects.

"Egypt has all means to find a solution for this crisis, but futile thinking impedes applying this in spite of warnings and previous failure to resolve the problem," Dr Ar Ali discontentedly said.

The government's campaign comes amid recent reports of the death of a farmer, from Quesna, in Monufia Governorate, following a snake bite while working in a field.

In Egypt, there are nearly 37 species of snakes, including seven poisonous. Cobra is the most widespread lethal snake reported in the region.

Snakes remain in their burrows throughout the winter season. However, as temperature increases, they creep out in spring and summer to escape the hot temperature as well as to mate and hunt.