Every year in India, between 46,000-60,000 people die from being bitten by snakes – it's the highest snakebite fatality rate of any country in the world. Now, a study suggests new regions may be exposed to these venomous reptiles as climate change alters their habitats.
Researchers warn that a change in the snakes' ranges could create new public health challenges, especially in rural areas with limited healthcare access.
The research, published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, is the first in India to link climate-based models of snake distribution with socio-economic vulnerability and healthcare capacity.
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Led by Imon Abedin of Dibru-Saikhowa Conservation Society, the study focused on India's 'big four' snakes – species responsible for most serious bites – and examined how their ranges could shift over the next 50 years.
By mapping climate scenarios alongside health and economic data, the team developed a 'snakebite risk index' to forecast areas most at risk.
The findings suggest the four venomous snakes – common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), Indian cobra (Naja naja) and Echis carinatus – could expand into India's northern and northeastern states, putting more communities in danger.
“Climate change is altering snake species' geographic ranges, resulting in expansions, contractions, or shifting ranges,” say the authors. “Such changes may increase human-snake interactions across rural and urban areas."
To mitigate snakebite risk in affected regions, the study highlights the need for improved medical infrastructure, antivenom research and antivenom availability in rural districts, where bites are most common.
The researchers add that their models are limited by gaps in snake occurrence data, particularly in remote regions. Factors such as urbanisation, habitat loss and agricultural change could also influence future snake distribution in ways that current models may not fully capture.
Find out more about the study: Future of snakebite risk in India: Consequence of climate change and the shifting habitats of the big four species in next five decades
Top image: Echis carinatus. Credit: Getty
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