A family visiting Singapore from China said a snake bit their 2-year-old daughter while they walked beside the Asian Civilisations Museum on Oct. 4.
Here's what to know
According to Mothership, the child was with her family on the path outside the museum at 1 Empress Place when the snake bit her ankle. Her mother said in a Xiaohongshu post from Xiaoxiang Morning Post that they had stayed off the grass and had not interacted with wildlife beforehand.
After the bite, the family called an ambulance and later contacted Singapore's National Parks Board, or NParks, about the snake. Her mother said the wound "immediately turned red and swelled up," and the child kept crying in pain.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it received an assistance call around 10:25 p.m. on Oct. 4 and took one person to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, according to Mothership.
According to HK01, the mother said in a comment on Oct. 6 that her daughter's condition had improved significantly. She also said the family paid the medical bills themselves.
More background
The mother said a friend who had spent more than two decades in Singapore had never seen a snake there before, Mothership reported.
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Based on photos, NParks group director for wildlife management How Choon Beng said the animal was likely a reticulated python, an established species in Singapore that still appears in urban areas. Fortunately, How said the snake was not venomous.
What's being done?
NParks said no snake was found when it surveyed the area around the museum immediately after being alerted. The agency added that it would continue monitoring the area and remove any snakes seen there.
NParks said anyone who sees a snake in a public area should keep a safe distance and slowly step back calmly so it can retreat.
If someone is bitten, seek medical attention immediately.
The agency also said people should not interfere with snakes, particularly when the animals are in their natural habitat.
Where can I learn more?
It's not uncommon for wildlife encounters like this one to happen in urban areas.
• A black spitting cobra in Singapore showed up by a playground, alarming nearby families.
• In Florida, Burmese pythons guarding nests have shown unusually defensive behavior toward intruders.
• Across India, rising temperatures are worsening snakebite risks and straining public health systems.
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