By PHILIP ENGLISH
New Zealand Defence Force medical staff, off soon to East Timor, spent the afternoon at Auckland Zoo yesterday - learning about dangerous creatures, from scorpions to salt water crocodiles.
Air Force staff based at Suai have been bitten by snakes, scorpions and stray dogs and have encountered wild pigs, spiders, crocodiles and monkeys. Air Force environmental health officer Flight Lieutenant Tim Hopkins, said tigers were rumoured to be present in the jungle.
Auckland Zoo veterinarian Dr Richard Jakob-Hoff, helped by veterinary nurse Maria Boyland, began the training session, designed to prevent injury from dangerous animals, on how to deal with the snake menace.
East Timor has plenty of snakes and some are said to have taken up residence in the camps inhabited by the New Zealand troops (who have access to anti-venom).
The ones to watch out for, said Mr Jakob-Hoff, were venomous green-lipped vipers, as well as rarer Taipans and spitting cobras.
Next came spiders, of which the redback was the most common and most painful in East Timor.
Zoo staffer Trent Barclay brought out Tabatha, a 12-year-old red-kneed tarantula from South America, for some more positive reinforcement.
"There's nothing a spider likes more than being left alone," said Mr Barclay, as he encouraged Tabatha to wander over the medical staff's bare arms.
As the briefing on spiders, scorpions and centipedes drew to a close, Dr Jakob-Hoff remembered the rumour about tigers in East Timor: "Trent also looks after our tigers."
When the personnel suggested shooting might be the best defence against a tiger, Dr Jakob-Hoff had to remind them that tigers were endangered, "but if they are in East Timor they would be extremely endangered."
Said Mr Barclay: "The key rule is not to get eaten. Do not turn your back on these animals and run. They will think you are prey. Face it down and back away slowly."
The fear of potentially fatal rabies from dog, monkey or even bird bites has emerged as a real concern for those on duty in East Timor.
Dr Jakob-Hoff and Maria Boyland demonstrated an array of animal catching devices, although Dr Jakob-Hoff said the best animal restraint tool was a bath towel used as a blindfold.
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