Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Residents in some parts of Beijing are on edge. Rises in humidity and temperature have lured a not-so-friendly neighbour to the Chinese capital – snakes. The reptile is rarely seen in May. But concerned residents have been sharing their sightings on social media.
Official media reports said the active season for snakes in Beijing had arrived early this year. There has been a surge in calls from residents seeking help both at home and outdoors.
The peak season typically begins in July. But local media outlet The Beijing News reported on May 28 that snakes were already being spotted repeatedly across housing estates, parks and mountain trails.
In one week, a fire and rescue station in the capital’s mountainous western district of Mentougou received more than 10 requests for snake-catching.
A firefighter at the station said certain properties near mountains and parks often had a lot of rubbish. This attracted rats, which would bring snakes, which eat rats.
