Toddler travelling from China bitten by snake outside Asian Civilisations Museum

A Chinese family visiting Singapore was alarmed when their two-year-old girl was bitten by a snake near the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) on the night of Oct. 4.

The family had been taking a stroll along a pavement outside the ACM, the girl's mother recounted in a Xiaohongshu post that has since been deleted.

They did not walk on the grass nor disturb any wildlife, she said.

Then, all of a sudden, the girl's ankle was bitten hard by a snake.

The wound immediately turned red and swelled up, and the girl kept crying in pain.

The family quickly called an ambulance, and later contacted the National Parks Board (NParks) to alert them about the snake.

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they received a call for assistance at 1 Empress Place at about 10:25pm that night.

They conveyed one person to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Condition has improved

After the girl was brought to the hospital, the family paid for the medical bills themselves, the girl's mother said.

According to HK01, she updated in the comments section on Oct. 6 that her daughter's condition had improved significantly.

In her post, the mother added that a friend of hers has lived in Singapore for over 20 years and has never seen a snake there before.

She warned families travelling in Singapore not to take the safety around tourist attractions as guaranteed, and to watch their step closely when they bring children out at night.

No snake found by NParks

NParks was alerted to the snake bite incident, confirmed NParks' group director for wildlife management How Choon Beng.

In a statement, he said that NParks carried out a survey of the area immediately, but no snake was located.

NParks will continue to monitor the area and relocate any snakes sighted.

How added that based on photos, the snake is likely to be a reticulated python.

The species, native to Singapore, can occasionally be encountered in urban areas.

"It is non-venomous and generally poses little threat to humans, especially if undisturbed," he said.

He also reminded members of public who encounter a snake in a public area to observe from a safe distance, stay calm, and back away slowly to give it space to retreat.

If bitten by a snake, they should seek medical attention immediately.

The snake should also be left alone, especially if it is in its natural habitat.

If assistance is required, members of the public can call the Animal Response Centre helpline at 1800-476-1600.