Corozal man succumbs to snakebite

Media reports to the contrary, crime is not the only danger lurking in the Belizean landscape. On Thursday, a farmer from the Corozal District lost his life when he was bitten by a poisonous snake. Sixty-nine year old Gabriel Ake was hunting near his farm in Copper Bank Village when he was attacked by what is believed to be a rattlesnake. He was rushed to Corozal Hospital, but died there on Friday. Rattlesnakes are not uncommon in Belize, particularly in grasslands. The species is not as aggressive as the better known fer de lance and experts tell News 5 that Ake likely stepped on or very close to the rattler prompting the fatal strike.