IT WAS a clammy evening without any breeze. The rain had just lifted, and everyone was gently fanning himself, trying to keep cool. Suddenly, cries were heard: "Habu!" "There's a habu!" The shouts alarmed the villagers. Adults grabbed sticks and ran off; curious children rushed after them. Where was it? Everyone was anxious. A bite from this six-to-seven-foot- [about 2 m]long snake can be fatal. The villagers felt relieved as the older ones hit the snake's head with long sticks until it was unconscious. It was then quickly put into a bag to be sold alive.

In the Ryukyu Islands, situated in the East China Sea, everyone from child to grandparent respects the habu the yellow-spotted, lance head a pit viper native to some, but not all, of these islands. Let us now take a close look at this fear-inspiring snake. But remember to respect it and always to keep it at arm's length!

Fear-Inspiring Design

There are different kinds of habus. One kind has a dark, greenish-brown mottle that gives it a superb camouflage in grass and decaying leaves. Some others have a blacker appearance that suits the habu's nighttime activities and tendency to hide in dark places.

This creature has gifts that we do not have, though it is a little nearsighted. It is gifted with what are called pit organs, one on each side of its head. These are depressions between the nostrils and the eyes that are very sensitive to heat. The two pits help it to "see" infrared radiation that humans feel as heat. With these, a habu is able to zero in on a warm little mouse, even in complete darkness.

You may have seen a snake flicking its tongue. Its tongue serves as an extraordinary second nose. By such flicking the habu picks up chemicals in the air and then presses its tongue against a chemically sensitive organ in the roof of its mouth. With this second nose at work, the habu picks up a wealth of chemical information from the air.

"Habu maintain a high rate of tongue flicking over successive time periods following a strike," observed researchers R. M. Waters and G. M. Burghardt of the University of Tennessee. Why look for chemical stimuli in the air after the attack? As there is always a risk of counterattack from the desperate prey, the habu, after striking and injecting venom, often releases its victim. Then, as the venom takes effect, the viper tracks down the prey by "smelling" with its tongue.

Having tracked down the now helpless prey, be it mouse, chick, or bird, the habu then proceeds to swallow it whole head, feet, tail, fur, feathers, and all. Its lower jaw unlocks at the back, allowing the jawbone to separate so that oversized prey may be swallowed. A whole cat was found in the belly of one habu that is on display at one of the habu centers in Okinawa.

What if a habu loses its syringelike fang in an attack? A new one will replace it. Why, some have been seen with two fangs on each side of the mouth! Besides, even if a habu loses its fangs, it will not starve. One habu on record survived for three years on water alone.

Avoiding Its Attack

Whereas the cobra of Southeast Asia and the black mamba of Africa inject nerve poison, the habu injects strongly hemorrhagenic venom. It is called hemorrhagenic because it causes bleeding by destroying the blood vessels. The venom causes a burning pain and swelling, and it can be fatal.

Some think that the snakes jump out from hiding and chase after humans, but that is not the case. Humans are no delicacy to the habu. Only if you tread unknowingly upon a habu or intrude on its territory will it perhaps attack. Most victims have been in areas where habus were looking for prey, such as in vegetable gardens or sugarcane fields. Islanders never go into the tall grass without proper leg protection, and they carry a flashlight at night. The habu is especially active during the night. Oh, you should not forget that these snakes are deft tree climbers, which allows them to keep cool in summer as well as to be near unsuspecting birds. So watch your head, as well as your steps, when you are near their habitat!

The best way to deal with this viper is not to invite it in in the first place. Cover all holes in a building's foundation and outer walls. Keep your yard free of tall grass. In other words, do not provide a hiding place for the habu.

What if You Are Struck?

What could happen if you were to meet up with one of these poisonous snakes? Perhaps the habu will coil, with the top half of its body in an S shape. Here it comes! Two thirds of its body lunges toward you, jaws wide open, fangs first.

Do not panic. Check that it actually was a habu that attacked you. A habu bite can be identified by two reddish spots, about an inch [2 cm] apart, where the fangs pierced your skin. Some may have three or four fangs, which increases the number of reddish spots. Soon, a burning sensation, as if someone had put your hand in a fire, intensifies. What can you do? Call for help. Then, suck out the poison and spit it on the ground. "Suck blood out repeatedly ten times at least," says the Handbook for the Control of Habu, or Venomous Snakes in the Ryukyu Islands. Head for a hospital that is equipped with serum for the habu venom. Never run, though.

That would quickly spread the poison through your body, increasing the damage and slowing recovery. If you cannot reach a hospital within 30 minutes, apply a tourniquet to the affected arm or leg at a place nearer the heart than the bite to delay the spread of the venom. Do not bind too tightly, however, for the pulse must be maintained. Release the pressure every ten minutes to allow circulation.

Masatoshi Nozaki and Seiki Katsuren, of the habu research section of the Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment, says: that humans, even after being bitten, do not develop permanent immunity to the habu poison. A bite often led to amputation in the past, but today few people lose a limb, let alone die, from habu bites. Thanks to effective drugs and therapeutic techniques, now 95 percent of those who are bitten recover. Only the overconfident or those too far from medical treatment may suffer serious injury.

Habus for Sale

The habu has few natural enemies. Household cats and dogs have a tendency to sport with it. A nonpoisonous snake called akamata, some weasels, wild boars, and hawks are listed among its predators. Although the mongoose was brought into the Ryukyu Islands to help control the habu population, this has not been effective in eradicating them.

The deadliest of all its natural enemies is man. Just like the villagers who rushed out at the cry of "Habu!" the moment they heard it, there are many who are eager to catch a habu the moment it makes an appearance. In spite of the danger, the market value of between $80 and $100 (U.S.) for one habu is too great a temptation for many.

How is the habu used? Habu liquor and dried snake powder, both consumed for health reasons, are made from it. Many are used live in shows to attract tourists. Of course, the skin is good for wallets and belts, while the venom is used to make antitoxin serum. Regardless of such uses, the advice still is, keep away from the habu!

The habu with its syringelike fangs. Its lower jaw unlocks to swallow larger prey.