Date: April 16, 2021

To: The Production Team at the National Wildlife Federation

From: Landon Gumphrey
Subject: Envenomation threats to Humans
Action Required: Approve the addition of a safety section in Wildlife the next Magazine

I hope to lay out the information to reassure you all that this edit is necessary and
beneficial for the company. The Scorpion is a unique creature that can be fascinating to
look at, and study, and write about. These animals do not come without their inherent
dangers though, as their sting injects harmful venoms into their subjects. This venom of
a scorpion is usually used for predatory purposes but will be used for self-defense if a
scorpion feels threatened. For humans, this poses risks of accidental stinging. We
should strive to provide vital information like this to the public. In the United States,
exposure to scorpions can be seen throughout but more predominately in the southern
states. Efforts can be made to reduce these exposures and combat the problem of
scorpion envenomation of humans. In our case, we can help by considering revising our
upcoming Scorpion magazine publishing.

Summary
As a company we should find a way to create an entertaining product while also
providing knowledge in a way that will benefit the reader. Most of the time when people
think about humans being injected with venom the first thought is of snakes. This means
scorpions are often overlooked when it comes to envenomation. We should go over
things like how Envenomation envenomation is the physical injection process when
venom is distributed by the bite or sting of an animal. Scorpions being overlooked like
this is what causes the issue of scorpion stings. We should add that This this problem
mainly comes from awareness, as humans are not scorpions’ natural prey and want
nothing to do with them. To include the required parts of thiscounter this issue, the
addition of safety information is needed to give guidance to the common people.
Cases in the US
In the United States, data was recorded for a decade and reported to the US
poison control centers. The data from 2005 to 2015 showed a total of 185,402 scorpion
exposures nationwide (Kang). The top contributors to the study were the southern
states where almost all the encounters happened in or around a home. In one year
alone, “poison control centers (PCCs) in the United States (US) received more than
16,000 reports of scorpion envenomation [1]. This was far more than any other insect
and more than snakes and spiders combined. In fact, scorpion exposures accounted for
nearly 30% of all reports concerning bites, stings, or envenomations” (Kang). Having
this data compared relative to things like snake and spider bites can really put into
perspective how much of a problem scorpion envenomation can be. The data showing
that the cases of scorpion stings are more than that of spider and snake bites enhances
the point that these creatures are going unnoticed. Showing the research results like
this to readers will help reveal the magnitude of the situation and attract attention. This
will in turn spread our information and have our knowledge of safety reach more people.
The data showing that the cases of scorpion stings are more than that of spider and
snake bites enhances the point that these creatures are going unnoticed.

Figure 1: Average Annual Scorpion Exposures 2005-2015

Figures like the one above can be used to visually convey to the readers dangers based
on area and people can chose for themselves whether or not to be concerned. As the
figure depicts, Arizona and Texas were the two top states in numbers of scorpion
exposure. Arizona specifically has an annual average of 11,500 cases and makes up a
large portion of the reported exposures due to the Arizona Bark Scorpion (Kang). The
heat and dry temperatures attract these scorpions to the southern states. The increase
in populations of scorpions that live in these arid and semi-arid areas causes higher
exposure rates. For areas where scorpions are more common like the states
highlighted, people need to be informed about the risks scorpions can pose. Since this
is the case, we should aim to produce and sell our magazines primarily in states with
higher exposure rates. Different preparations to the home and immediate surroundings
could benefit our readers by giving them explicit remedies to those who have
experienced problems with scorpions.

Figure 2: Bark Scorpion

Conclusion
Scorpion stings continue to be a risk to humans that are unaware of their
presence. Information needs to be spread through our magazine about how people can
protect themselves, especially in the areas where scorpions predominately reside.
Ignorance should not be an excuse to let the numbers of hospitalizations and even
deaths by scorpions stay at this level. This issue needs to be addressed and brought to
people’s attention so that accidental stinging can be avoided. The addition of critical
information to our already popular magazine can circumvent these high exposure rates.

Recommendations
I would It is recommended that the National Wildlife Federation that our company
implement a safety section into the their Scorpion and other venomous topic
magazines. This section will need to include things like safety equipment to wear
around the house as well as preparations to avoid unwanted encounters and
information discussed earlier. A list of actions to reduce exposures should be given to
the readers . One important example of preparation to the home and environment would
be removal of things scorpions could hide in around the house. Additional information
such as installation of yellow lighting to reduce insects and UV light to better detect
scorpions should be added as well. Lastly, in severe cases, there should be knowledge
and contact information given regarding pest control companies as well as medical aid.
Giving these instructions to avid readers especially in areas where scorpions are more
prominent will help solve this issue.

References
Hedding, Judy. “The Most Common Types of Scorpions in Arizona.” TripSavvy,
www.tripsavvy.com/the-most-common-types-of-scorpions-in-arizona-4580502.
“How to Manage Pests.” UC IPM Online,
ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74110.html.
Kang, A Min, and Daniel E Brooks. “Nationwide Scorpion Exposures Reported to US
Poison Control Centers from 2005 to 2015.” Journal of Medical Toxicology :
Official Journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology, Springer US,
June 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5440315/.