M’sian Ranger Shares Why You Should NEVER Leave The Designated Trail When Hiking

Ever since the government eased the restrictions following the uprising in vaccination rates, more people have started going outdoors, including hiking. 

Hiking is undeniably one of the best ways to get a breath of the fresh air, as well as to witness the mesmerizing sunrise. However, are you certain that you have taken all the safety measures into account before you make your move?

Sharon, a Sabahan who works as a forest ranger in Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu had taken to her TikTok account and revealed why it is crucial for you to always stay on track when you go for a walk in the woods.

@p.sharon.j

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According to her, the trails are often kept clean and wide for safety purposes. The trails in some forests might be narrow, but as long as your skin is not exposed to the plants around you when you stretch your arm, it is considered safe. However, she also revealed that different places may have different standards of procedures (SOPs).

If you are wondering what is the big deal between the distance between you and the plants, here comes the key points.

Sharon started off by revealing some of the thorny plants which are small, but still capable of causing unwanted injuries. Next, she pointed to a small beehive by the plant which will be aggressive if startled.

Just when you think there is a lot of “hidden traps” by the plants, you will be shocked to discover a green viper snake resting on the branch of a tree. The similar colour of the snake and the leaves makes a perfect camouflage, so it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of view at the first glance.

As you can see in the video, the distance between the viper snake and the trail is not even far. Imagine walking through the leaves without knowing a reptile is comfortably resting there!

Based on Sharon’s observation, the reptile could just have its big dinner the night before, or a big breakfast earlier before the encounter.

“That’s a big tummy. It can be a bird, or a squirrel,” she guessed on what the snake could have fed on. 

She ended the video by urging the people, especially the ones that are not used to hiking in the jungle to stay on track all the time to avoid dangers.

The video was shared via her TikTok account on 10 October, and at the time of writing, it has garnered more than 42,000 likes and more than 800 comments, with most of the netizens praising her for the informative content.

Be sure to stay safe whenever you go hiking!

Have you encountered similar dangers during your hike? Let us know in the comments below!

Also read: 74 Y/o Grandma Impresses Netizens After Hiking To The Top Of A Hill In Jubah & Slippers!