Help us save people and snakes. Together we can do more!

Who are we?

Sakaerat Najas Project is a small independent non-profit research project, dedicated to advancing current scientific knowledge and conservation of True Cobras. Our target species, the Indochinese Spitting Cobra Naja siamenis and the Monocled Cobra Naja kaouthia, both listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and have population which are in decline throughout their range. Based at the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, the project aims to improve cohabitation between humans and snakes to reduce human- snake conflicts within the rural communities of the UNESCO Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve. Oure small leadership team is supported by an internationally diverse mix of volunteers, eho allow the project to fulfil another of its goals - to provide opportunity and professional development for early career ecologists and research scientists from around the world.

Sakaerat Najas Project team as of September 2017.

What do we do?

Throughout the ages people have been fascinated by venomous animals. Often defenceless looking wildlife can be deadly to its prey, and to potential predators. Among the venomous animals, snakes are one of the most widespread and lethal to humans. Arguably one of the most misunderstood taxa in animal kingdom, there is little research conducted on these cryptic and seemingly uncharismatic slithering creatures. Venomous snakes, however, are of great medical importance.

To address the problem of wildlife conservation and human welfare we dedicate our lives to study one of the most recognisable genus among the venomous snakes – Naja (the True Cobras). Our focal species the Monocled Cobra Naja kouthia and the Indochinese Spitting Cobra Naja siamensis are together responsible for the second highest number of snake bite mortalities in Thailand.

We use radio telemetry to follow our study animals in the forests, villages, and agricultural areas of the reserve. This is the best available research technique to gather long term data on animals that are so elusive and shy. We collect information on their activity periods, habitat preferences and behaviour, with special attention towards human - snake interactions. To date, in 3 years of research, we have learned that cobras and other snakes live among people on a daily basis. They movie through fields, gardens and around houses in the villages while looking for food and shelter, usually completely unseen by their neighbours - humans.

Curtis and William at work radiotracking cobras in the vegetation. 

To keep both people and snakes safe, we provide a free snake removal service to the local communities.  Rescued snakes are then released back in to the surrounding fields. We make every effort to keep the snakes within their own natural home range. This may seem strange to some, but studies have shown mortality rates in translocated snakes may be as high as 70%. The aim of our project is to bring about long term benefits to people and snakes through improved cohabitation, not short term fixes by snake relocation.

Rescue of Indochinese Spitting Cobra Naja siamensis in the local village.

4 m King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah rescued by local volunteers made its way to TV news.

Photo after safe rescue of King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah in local temple grounds.

To empower the local communities, we participate in a snake handling training programme for local rescue teams. This initiative hosted by Sakaerat Conservation and Snake Education Team, provides training to rescue teams throughout the reserve and further afield. Using different handling techniques, we help Thai people to establish the skills necessary to safely work with potentially dangerous snakes. It is seen as a key aspect of our work in the community so that they may utilize, develop and pass on these skills for themselves long after we have gone.

Rescue teams snake handling training. 

Why not just get rid of the snakes?

With the decline in large and medium sized mammalian predators, such as tigers and other cats in tropical forests, large snakes may play an increasingly important role in ecosystems as upper level predators. Cobras provide a valuable ecosystem service to small scale farming communities by predating  crop pests such as mice and rats. Without natural controls, areas can quickly become overpopulated with rodents, which can carry diseases like leptospirosis or Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM) which pose real threats to humans.

Monocled Cobra Naja kaouthia feeding on rat.

Despite the evident danger to humans, chemical analyses of snake venoms have resulted in major advances in medicine. Venom composition (and its use in medicine) varies from region to region even among the same species. Therefore, losing a single population of venomous snakes may severely limit the potential for future human medical advancements including possible treatments for cancer.

Indochinese Spitting Cobra Naja siamensis is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list and the Monocled Cobra Naja kaouthia is listed as a species of least concern. Both species are recognized as being in decline throughout their range. Despite their red list status, there is currently no conservation work being conducted. Both species of cobras are listed on appendix II of CITES.

Indochinese Spitting Cobra Naja siamensis  killed in local village. 

Snake bite problem

Rural communities play a vital role in the Thai economic system as the primary producers of agricultural products. Agriculture in Thailand poses many human health risks, one of which is venomous snake bites. At highest risk are agricultural workers in rural fields. Treatment of envenomated patients is both costly, and sometimes dangerous to victims, especially in cases where hospitals misidentify the venomous snake. In Thailand, cobras (Naja kaothia and Naja siamensis) account for a large proportion of envenomations each year and result in a high incidence of mortality. Eaven when not lethal, the effects of the venom can leave snake bite victims with debilitating and life changing injuries making them incapable of work. This shows a strong need for research on these animals to better understand their ecology and habitat use to reduce the number of future envenomations.

Links to some more reading about envenomation problem and video on venom effect on blood  are below:

1. WHO Guidelines for snake bite management
2. Russell's Viper venom effects on blood 
3. Classic Google search

Recent study suggest a high percentage of envenomations are, in fact, the result of humans deliberately harassing snakes (The following are links to videos of professionals getting bitten on camera link 1, link 2), Our field observations to confirm that human harassment of snakes probably increases chances of snake bite. Many of the snakes we encounter during rescues only want to get away from the observer. We aim to address this issue through education and training, preventing accidental envenomation by developing a list of recommendations for rural communities to reduce unwanted encounters. However, continued long term research and community work are vital to the success of these project goals.

Our friend Hans helping us to deliver informational materials in local villages. 

Why we need your support?

As a non-profit project, our project does not generate any personal income for the researchers. Due to unpopular nature of our study species, there is limited interest for potential donators. Additionally, scientific grants often impose strict limitations on how funding can be used. Having financial backing from a source like crowd funding will allow us to allocate funds as they are needed. Should we be successful, funds would firstly be used to maintain and support the current project at Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve. Once the Sakaerat project is secured any extra funding or support would go towards the establishment of a second study site based at the Than Sadet National Park on the island of Koh Phangan in Southern Thailand.

The list below shows the equipment and expenses needed to maintain and develop the project:

1. Food and accommodation for workers and volunteers,
2. Petrol,
3. Vehicles (motorcycles),
4. Radiotracking equipment:
   • Radio transmitters (chips)
   • Radio receivers
   • Antennas
   • GPS
   • Kestrel weather device
5. Camera traps
6. Handling/safety equipment
7. Processing equipment
8. Snakes housing equipment
9. Educational materials
10. Promotional materials
11. Endoscope
12. Laboratory equipment
13. Radiotracking drone

If you would like to support us with any of these items or in any other way instead of money, please feel free to contact us at najaresearch@gmail.com. We are especially interested in developing a drone to be used for radiotracking.

Let’s meet our friends!

Currently we radiotrack 10 individual snakes within forested and rural areas.

Naka012 -> Monocled Cobra male number 12 is the longest in our study. We have followed him in the Dry Evergreen Forest of Sakaerat since April 2015. He is our most beloved and demanding individual. He is capable of moving up to 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) through the dense forests. Over the years he's shown us great deal about his secretive life. Even now he can surprise us and disappear for days making us spend long hours wandering around the forests looking for a signal from his transmitter. During this time we have witnessed his struggles to survive. On several occasions he manage to outsmart a 3.5 m snake eating King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah, a Hog badger Arctonyx collaris  and a huge monitor lizard Varanus sp. His convex polygon home range is the biggest from all of our study animals with over 540 ha which makes our work a great challenge.

Nasi025-> This male Indochinese Spitting Cobra is living in a nearby village. This snake is often found in people's gardens and under their homes. This is very shy individual that is rarely seen even by us. Recently he took shelter behind our favorite ice cream shop which makes tracking this guy sweet change from chasing forest cobras.

Other ways you can help us

• SHARE this page with all your friends!
• Follow us on social media!  Like us on Facebook watch us on Youtube and visit our website.

Talk to us - we'd love your feedback about our project! (najaresearch@gmail.com)

Thank you!