Community Outreach Program

As part of the educational activities of the Institute, different types of lectures are given in educational center and to community groups, especially those located in areas with high snakebite incidence. Some of the topics covered are:  

• Basic information about snakes
• Most important venomous snakes in Costa Rica
• Effects of venoms in people bitten by snakes
• Prevention of snakebite accidents
• Basic information on the treatment of snakebites
• What is an antivenom serum and how is it produced?

Lectures for health care personnel responsible for the treatment and hospital management of the snakebite accident

The topics covered are:

• Basic information about the main species of venomous snakes in Costa Rica
• Basic concepts on the physiopathology of the envenomings caused by the main species of venomous snakes in Costa Rica
• Treatment and hospital management of the patient bitten by a venomous snake

Workshop: Identification and Management of Snakes in Costa Rica (only for relief/emergency attention personnel)

Two day theoretical-practical activity, imparted exclusively to personnel who work in relief activities (firefighters, Red Cross, emergency response centers, human or animal rescue programs), in an effort to promote the necessary tools for the adequate capture, removal, and transport of venomous snakes, and their identification (not imparted to groups or people who are not directly related to emergency attention centers). The topics covered are:

• Snakes in Costa Rica: identification and natural history of venomous snakes
• Physiopathology and epidemiology of the snakebite accident
• General herpetology concepts
• Manipulation of venomous animals: ethical and safety principles
• Herpetoculture and instruments to handle venomous animals
• Ethical and legal aspects of the manipulation and rescue of wild animals.

Note: The workshop does not provide accreditation for snake manipulation.  

To obtain more information on the different training activities offered, you can call the secretary’s office of the CPI:

Telephones: 2511-7888 Fax: 22920485

E-mail: icp@ucr.ac.cr