A technician checking a boundary wall line and pipe entries at ground level

Snake control in Al Zahir Makkah

Al Zahir is an old residential district north west of the Haram at Makkah's northern gateway on Madinah Road, surrounded by mountains and wadis including Jabal Al Zahir and Jabal Al Barud. The old buildings are split by deep cracks and large voids, while the museum, public library, hospital and shopping mall supply food for rodent populations. Snakes shelter in old fissures and move freely throughout the area.

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Targeted, not broadcast

Product goes into cracks and runways, never sprayed across open surfaces.
Told before we start

What we will use, where it goes, and what to cover or move before we arrive.
A follow-up visit

We return after the first treatment, because what survives it does not show on the day.
Homes and businesses

Apartments and villas, and kitchens and stores that need a record of each visit.

Why they keep coming back in Al Zahir

Al Zahir is an ageing district with natural wadis and mountains, and the old buildings are split by deep cracks and weak foundations that provide safe shelter for snakes. The method is set out in full on Snake control in detail.

The first reason

Surrounding mountains and wadis provide natural year round snake habitat

Jabal Al Zahir, Jabal Al Barud and Wadi Al Zahir offer natural shelter for snakes. The mountain zone surrounds the district on all sides, and snakes descend from the peaks seeking water and food.

The second reason

Old building stock is split by deep cracks and large foundation voids

Al Zahir's age means its buildings are split by deep cracks in walls and foundations. Snakes shelter in these splits and voids, and old construction offers no adequate protection. Deep cracks between unmortared brick are safe snake havens.

The third reason

Hospital, library and museum provide rodent food sources throughout the district

The hospital, public library, museum and shopping mall hold storage and food supplies, drawing rodent colonies around these large buildings. Snakes enter the district following rodents that shelter in old cracks and storage areas.

Al Zahir on the map

Al Zahir sits about 1.5 km from Al Diyafah and about 1.5 km from Al Shuhada.

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Before treatment

What the site tells us before we start

An old district on the Third Ring Road and Hajun Street at Makkah's northern entrance, containing Jabal Al Zahir and Jabal Al Barud, Wadi Al Zahir, a museum, public library, hospital and university campus.

A shed skin

Snakes living in old cracks leave shed skin in the splits and voids between bricks and old walls.

A winding trail across fine sand beside a wall

The track in the sand

In sand and dust accumulated around old buildings, snakes leave clear movement trails.

Concrete blocks stacked against an exterior wall

Block and rubble piles

Piles of rubble and debris from old buildings provide good shelter for snakes and rodents.

A closed metal gate with a visible gap beneath it

The gap under the gate

Cracks between bricks and fissures in walls and foundations are the main entry routes snakes use.

A burrow opening in dry soil beside a garden

Rodent burrows

Rodent burrows in old cracks and voids supply snake food year round.

A drip irrigation line leaking onto garden soil

A leaking irrigation line

Damp old walls and moisture-saturated masonry that absorbs rainwater create constant moisture that draws snakes.

How we work

1
Inspect and locate

We work the perimeter, the garden and the service rooms with a torch and a mirror, reading the tracks, the skins and the burrows to establish whether it is still on site and where it came in.
2
Safe removal

It comes out on a hook and tongs into a closed container and is released away from buildings where that is possible, with no chasing it around a room.
3
Close the routes, take away the shelter

A strip under the gate, sleeves around pipe entries, tight covers on the floor drains, and the blocks and palm fronds moved off the wall line.
4
Cut the food, then come back

We treat the rodents and the geckos on the perimeter, then return once that activity has settled to check the sealed points and look for any fresh track.

What snake control includes

A recorded site inspection

Perimeter, garden, service rooms and pipe entries, with tracks and skins recorded before anything is applied.
Drains and entries closed

Tight covers on floor drains, sleeves around waste and air conditioning pipe runs, and the weep holes in the boundary wall closed.
Rodent work around the building

Closed bait stations on the rodent runs, because cutting the prey is what makes the site stop suiting them.
Perimeter treatment down the food chain

Insects on lit walls hold the geckos, and geckos feed some species, so we treat the chain from the bottom up.
A perimeter housekeeping list

What to move off the wall line, how low to cut the ground cover, where the lighting sits, and what to do if you see another one.
A scheduled follow-up

A set date to check the sealed points, the rodent stations and any new track in the sand.

Landmarks of Al Zahir

Al Zahir is reached via Madinah Road from the north, where King Abdulaziz Hospital stands as a major landmark. The museum and Holy Capital Public Library on King Abdulaziz Road mark the district boundaries, where snake treatment focuses on sealing old cracks and voids between buildings.

Madinah Road
Third Ring Road
King Abdulaziz Hospital
Makkah Museum of Antiquities and Heritage
Holy Capital Public Library
Al Diyafah Mall

Questions about this district

Do deep cracks in old buildings really provide safe snake shelter?

Absolutely. Deep cracks in walls and foundations offer excellent snake shelter. Snakes live in these splits and descend into flats from inside the walls themselves.

Does the hospital, library and museum actively draw snakes into the district?

Yes directly. These large buildings supply storage and food, drawing rodent colonies around them. Snakes sheltering in old cracks follow these rodents.

Do weak old foundations really make snake entry easier?

Yes markedly. Old weak foundations have natural gaps where snakes enter freely. Treating foundations in an old house is very difficult.

Are Jabal Al Barud and Jabal Al Zahir the snake source for this district?

Yes, these mountains provide natural shelter for snakes. They descend seeking water and food, especially during intense heat.

Does an old house next to a new one increase snake risk for the new house?

Yes considerably. The old house is split with cracks and voids, and snakes shelter in it readily. They transfer easily into an adjoining new building.

How long does treatment of an old apartment building in Al Zahir take?

Treating an old building is very difficult because cracks are numerous and foundations are weak. It may take several hours or even days depending on the building's condition.

How much does snake control in Al Zahir cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Al Zahir.