Warren Schmidt talks to us about Dangerous Animals & Outdoor Hazards in Africa.
Could you tell us a little about your background and what led you to write Dangerous Animals & Outdoor Hazards in Africa?
I grew up and was schooled in the urban outskirts of Johannesburg, so dangerous animals and outdoor risk was never a thought during my childhood. However, our family were avid campers, and we regularly undertook holidays to game reserves and national parks. Even then, the only encounters we had to contend with was the occasional bee or wasp sting.
It was during my high school years that I developed a deep fascination for snakes and started catching venomous species. After graduating high school and acquiring my driver’s license, I joined the staff of the Transvaal Snake Park, which has long since closed down. It was during these early career days that I started exploring more remote and unsupervised wilderness areas around southern Africa. Due to the remoteness of some regions, and often spending extended periods alone in the wilderness, I developed an interest in outdoor survival and how to contend with dangerous wildlife. Many of the places I visited had crocodiles, lion, leopard, buffalo and elephants and a range of highly venomous snakes and scorpions.
In late 1997 I lost a close friend due to a snouted cobra bite. I had survived a Cape cobra bite just a few years prior. It was then that I realised how little I knew about venoms and its systemic effects on the human body. A few days into the new millennium in January 2000, I was carjacked and shot by the perpetrator. This gave me some deep insights into the physical and mental trauma one experiences after such an event.
It was a culmination of the above that led me to write Dangerous Animals and Outdoor Hazards in Africa, with a strong emphasis on how to deal with emergencies and trauma in remote locations with limited resources.
Cape Cobra
Elephants, lions and crocodiles are often described as Africa's most dangerous large animals. Is that reputation earned, or does it obscure more important risks?
Within Africa, fatal Nile crocodile attacks exceed those caused by elephants, lions, and hippopotamuses combined. Venomous snakes are estimated to kill around 30,000 people each year. Yet it is the invisible microbes that cause by far the greatest mortality. Malaria alone claims at least 500,000 lives annually across Africa. The two animals that frighten me more than any other are mosquitoes—and dogs infected with rabies!
Nile Crocodile
Is there one dangerous animal in the book that most surprised you during your research, or that most people would be surprised to see included at all?
Perhaps the antelope like bushbuck and kudu. One would never associate these as being dangerous to people, but an injured or cornered bushbuck becomes a very dangerous animal, and their horns have caused fatal injuries to people and dogs. Kudu are widely distributed and largely inoffensive, but their danger presents in the evening when high-speed vehicles collide with them on the road at night. This is a real danger that many people never think about.
Male Bushbuck
How do you define "human–wildlife conflict" for readers who might think of it simply as an animal attacking a person?
Human–wildlife conflict takes many forms. Much of Africa’s population consists of rural subsistence farmers, for whom crop damage can have devastating consequences, including food insecurity and, in extreme cases, famine. Locusts aside, farmers must also protect their crops from large herbivores such as elephants and hippopotamuses, often with limited means of defence beyond basic barriers and fencing. These encounters can result in serious injury and death for both people and wildlife.
Livestock predation is another widespread problem. Lions, leopards, and hyenas regularly prey on livestock, with caracals also contributing to losses, albeit to a lesser extent. For rural communities, the loss of livestock can represent a significant economic and social burden, while retaliatory killings can further threaten wildlife populations.
Balancing wildlife conservation with the livelihoods and safety of local communities remains an ongoing challenge. Encouragingly, several organisations are researching and developing practical mitigation strategies, including the IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group which works to advance approaches that enable people and wildlife to coexist more successfully.
Female Lion
The book is aimed at a wide range of readers, from game rangers and guides to birdwatchers, campers, 4x4 enthusiasts and medical personnel in rural clinics. Was it difficult to write for such a broad audience without losing depth?
Yes, it is always a challenge for an author to meet the needs and expectations of such a diverse audience. One must collate a wealth of information and distil it into a coherent narrative within the confines of a book. My approach was to identify the audience I felt would benefit most from a summarised and contextualised textbook, supported by a comprehensive bibliography for those who wish to delve deeper into the subject matter.
Male Kudu
You clearly want the book to inform rather than alarm. What would you say to someone who reads about these risks and decides Africa's wildlife areas are simply too dangerous to visit or work in?
The natural risks faced by most people visiting or working in Africa are remarkably low. National parks and game reserves generally have good infrastructure, with staff trained to manage and mitigate potential risks. However, one point I emphasise throughout is the importance of undertaking a thorough risk assessment and appropriate training. These measures can reduce risk substantially and, in many cases, prevent incidents from occurring in the first place.
This can be challenging, however, because we live in a world where risk management is often reactive rather than proactive. Too frequently, action is taken only after an incident has occurred, rather than identifying and addressing potential hazards beforehand.
It is for this reason that I provide comprehensive pre-deployment training and risk assessments for companies, universities and organisations operating in Africa. Further information about these services can be found on our website: https://www.bioenviroafrica.com/
Learn more about Dangerous Animals & Outdoor Hazards in Africa here.
