On a tiny island the size of just three football pitches (five acres), a small community of fishermen live in extraordinary harmony alongside hundreds if not thousands of Africa's most aggressive and venomous snakes.
- Snake Island, Anthrax Island and beyond: 9 deadly Islands you'd be a fool to visit...
- "It's claimed there's one deadly snake for every square metre..." World's 6 weirdest islands, from lethal snake island to the bizarre swimming pig isle
This is Musambwa Island about 10km from the north west shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda. Here forest cobras (Naja melanolauca) move freely in and around human habitations and yet there have been no deadly bites in decades of daily co-habitation. What is the island's secret?
For the 100 or so fishermen, who are from the Baganda ethnic group of south eastern Uganda, the answer is mutual respect. The snakes are revered as divine beings – the name 'Musambwa' is the native Lugandan name for 'gods' or 'spirits' and therefore the island is heavily protected and it is forbidden to harm the snakes. And while the fishermen admit to having a general fear of snakes, they have no concerns about Musambwa's cobras. It appears that the cobra population understands that the humans are no threat to them and there is no antagonism. It is also taboo to cut the trees here or eat eggs from the many thousands of birds that breed on the island.
- Wildlife travel: What animals can I see in Uganda?
- The terrifying, deadly island off Brazil that only scientists and soldiers can visit
The forest cobra is the largest 'true cobra' species in Africa, reaching over 3m in length but averaging 1.7m on Musambwa. The name melanoleuca means 'black and white' and while colouration is variable, there is usually white banding on the body, while the black dorsal scales have a smooth, glossy appearance. Like most cobras, the head of the forest cobra is large, broad and flattened, and is slightly distinct from the neck.
- It is as long as shipping container, contains enough neurotoxins to kill 20 humans and can swallow prey whole
- "It possesses potent venom - a deadly neurotoxin that causes death by respiratory paralysis…"
In other parts of its African range, the forest cobra ambushes small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish but on Musambwa the diet is waterbird eggs, nestlings, adult birds and possibly fish and other snakes. That's because the island is home to the world's largest colony of grey-headed gulls, which nest on every rock and ledge that fringe the island. As visitors attest, the constant raucous calls and smell of up to 200,000 of these gulls in such a small area is overwhelming.
Several cormorant, heron, egret and kingfisher species all nest here too, taking advantage of the rich fish stocks in Lake Victoria. And all are prey to the cobras. The sheer abundance of food may contribute to the cobras' lack of aggression – why stress when the living is easy? The only bite ever recorded on a human here was thought to be an accident and, in any case, was a 'dry bite'. Cobras, like many venomous snakes, will defend themselves with a quick strike without releasing venom as it costs so much energy to produce.
- 7 astonishing underwater kingfisher photos that show the beautiful bird is just as at home below the surface as above it
- Crushing bone, spearing fish, tearing flesh... These are the 6 deadliest bird beaks on the planet and they are highly effective lethal weapons
The fishermen would also say that Musambwa is special and sacred because they keep to strict rules about abstaining from sex on the island. It is widely reported that no women are permitted on the island and, while this isn't completely true as some female traders and tourists are allowed to visit, the no sex rule is enforced on Musambwa and menstruating women are also banned as they are thought to bring bad luck.
The leader of the islands' fishing community, known as the Chairman, told visiting American ethnobiologists in 2020 “that a couple had sex on the island once, causing a devastating storm that destroyed boats and dwellings”. The fishermen, who are mostly in their 20s and 30s, have families on the mainland – a 1.5 hour boat ride away – who they see every few weeks.
In addition to its wildlife and wild habitat being treasured and protected by local people, Musambwa Island is part of Sango Bay-Musambwa Islands-Kagora Wetland System (SAMUKA), a 550 km2 area designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention and is thus under strict international protection. This means that, although permitted, tourism is carefully managed to protect the delicate ecology of the island.
More snake stories from around the world:
