Venomous snakes have been discovered lurking in the streets of Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia’s National Emergency Management Agency on Friday warned citizens to beware of venomous snakes after several Shield-Nose snakes were found in residential areas of the capital.

Over 30 snake alerts have been made in the residential Khan-Uul, Bayanzurkh and Songinokhairkhan Districts of Ulaanbaatar so far this year. So far, two people have died after having been bitten by snakes in Mongolia.

Most recently, a man died at the National Trauma and Orthopedic Research Centre on 6 August four days after being bitten by a snake. The victim was bitten by snake while camping in Khan-Uul District of Ulaanbaatar.

There are two species of snakes which are common in Ulaanbaatar – the Gloydius Halys (venomous) and Elaphe Dione (non-venomous). The explanations for the appearance of the snakes on the streets of the capital is that, firstly, they may be being attracted to the residential areas in search of food, and secondly, that they may have been brought in by flooding.