It
was
far
from
a
typical
day
at
the
office
for
the
EU
Delegation
to
Zimbabwe.
In
place
of
briefings
and
meetings,
staff
and
family
members
gathered
for
a
hands-on snake
awareness
and
safety
training with
Zimbabwe’s
renowned
snake
expert Chawatama
“Chawa”
Marimo.
Known
affectionately
as Chawa,
Marimo
is
a self-taught
snake
rescuer
and
conservationist who
has
spent
years
safely
relocating
snakes
from
residential
and
commercial
areas
around
Harare.
His
work
bridges
the
vital
gap
between human
safety
and
wildlife
conservation —
a
balance
that
grows
ever
more
important
as
urban
development
increasingly
overlaps
with
natural
habitats.
The
training
brought
participants face-to-face
with
some
of
Zimbabwe’s
most
formidable
reptiles:
pythons,
snouted
cobras,
puff
adders,
brown
house
snakes,
and
even
the
elusive
Gaboon
viper.
Initial
reactions
ranged
from
nervous
excitement
to
cautious
curiosity,
but
Chawa’s
calm
confidence
and
engaging
teaching
style
quickly
turned
fear
into
fascination
—
and
ultimately,
respect.
Among
the
session’s
highlights
were
Chawa’s
insights
on snakebite
first
aid,
where
he
outlined
practical
steps
that
could
make
the
difference
between
life
and
death,
or
between
full
recovery
and
lasting
injury.
Drawing
from
his
own
field
experiences,
he
vividly
explained what
to
do
—
and
what
not
to
do
—
in
the
event
of
a
snakebite,
grounding
each
lesson
in
real-life
stories
of
rescues
and
medical
emergencies.
Equally
eye-opening
was
his
discussion
on anti-venom
accessibility
in
Zimbabwe —
where
it
can
be
found,
how
the
medical
system
responds
to
snakebite
cases,
and
why
acting
swiftly
and
calmly
is
key.
This
practical
knowledge
offered
valuable
perspective
not
just
on
wildlife
safety,
but
on
how
Zimbabwe’s
healthcare
infrastructure
supports
communities
living
close
to
nature.
Perhaps
the
most
memorable
part
of
the
session
came
when
several
brave
colleagues
—
under
Chawa’s
careful
supervision
— handled
snakes
themselves,
while
others
provided
enthusiastic
moral
support
from
a
safe
distance.
Either
way,
everyone
left
with
a
new
appreciation
for Zimbabwe’s
rich
biodiversity and
for
the dedicated
conservationists
working
to
protect
it.
The
Delegation
extends
warm
thanks
to Chawatama
Marimo for
his
time,
expertise,
and
unwavering
commitment
to
both
wildlife
and
community
safety.