Indian Wildlife Club Forum

From Gerry Martin" Our work in snakebite mitigation and management is scaling up again and we need a few more hands on deck. This is an opportunity to work in the field, at a grassroots level to understand the dynamics of snakebite in a rural landscape. Please get in touch with Sumanth on sbindumadhav@hsi.org if you'd like to take on this internship. 

Extended Monsoon time is on in many parts of India.  Snakes are found everywhere, whether it is flooded Kerala, waterlogged Gurgaon or our many Green villages. Some avoid them, some kill them yet few think they need to be understood and protected as a species which is essential to keep the web of life intact.  Snakes have territories and there is an environmentally positive reason why they are in your area.  

I would like all IWC members to watch a video we made recently on the topic of Indian Snakes.

Shaleen Attre is a co-founder of indiansnakes.org.  This website has a  comprehensive database of Indian snakes.  The site also gives tips on how to avoid snake bites, who to contact if you find a snake near your home and also where to get to a medical facility nearby with anti venom in case you are bitten by a snake.  

In her talk Shaleen demolishes many myths about snakes and says it is necessary to spread awareness and start talking about snakes if we want these reptiles to claim their place as protected wildlife of India.  

Indian Snakes

When it comes to snakes, Romulus Whitaker is the last word for the passion and commitment he brings to his life's mission. At the Express Adda in Delhi he responded to all the questions, fears and reservations the common man has when it comes to facing snakes.

He emphasized on the role of parents and teachers in shaping a child's attitude toward snakes.  So this was a conversation with an adult audience, which included many nature lovers and a section of the general public.

 Quote "Especially in a country where we have 50,000 people dying of snake bites every year and many more getting permanently injured by snakes; it’s avoidable. But getting these messages out there, especially to rural India, is not easy. We are a country steeped in misbeliefs, so it gets a little awkward to say that what your grandfather told you is a lie. One has to do it in a much more diplomatic way and get it across to people that snakes are not after us. Snakes are, in fact, very frightened of us."  Romulus Whitaker

Read the detailed report at

https://tinyurl.com/yavtcfv3 

The Session will also be telecast on CNBC TV18 on Sunday, June 3, 1.30 pm.

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• Never try to suck out the venom
• Never make an incision
• Never go to traditional healers or try home remedies
• Do not tie tourniques or use ice
• Never clean out or tamper with the site of the bite
• Never try and catch the snake or kill it

• Make sure the victim and others are a safe distance away from the snake and try to memorise its appearance
• Stay CALM and in control.  Take charge of the situation and reassure the victim
• Remove watches, rings, bangles and anything else that will become constrictive if the wound causes swelling
• Try to immobilise the victim.  Never let him/her run and only allow him/her to walk if unavoidable.
• In case of neuro-toxic bites (Cobras, King Cobras, kraits, coral snakes and sea snakes), pressure immobilization (Sutherland method) with long crepe or other stretchy bandage(5-10 cm wide, several rolls) and splint to be applied immediately to the bitten limb, starting at the digits and working up to the groin or armpit.  
• Do not waste time trying to get any elaborate first-aid done.
• Get to a hospital as soon as is safely possible.
• Note the time of the bite and the progression of any visible symptoms.
• Give the doctor details of the bite and symptoms.

• Take care when clearing vegetation, raking dry leaves in your garden.  Supervise kids in the outdoors, especially in a green neighbourhood.
• Use torch/flashlight in the night and wear shoes while going out.  Check shoes before wearing them.
• Watch your step and see before you sit.
• Keep your backyard free of junk and make sure your solid waste is managed properly.
• If you see a snake, do nothing.  Let it go.  Do not try to pick it up or kill it.  If a snake has entered your premises, call professional snake rescuers.

Snakes are dangerous-beautifulanimal. Most of the people kill snakes recklessly. When they see it, but thetruth is not real as in case of Bangladesh, because more or less 115 species ofsnakes are found only in one order Serpentes including 7 Families, where numberof venomous species are 15 and rest of the species are non venomous, on theother hand most of the venomous snakes are sea snake, they seem does not aswell equipped to biting a man.

The main snake inhabit area aresituated in the Chittagong Hill tracts region, Sylhet region and Sundarbanregion. Some species also found all over the Bangladesh.

 The common snakes of Bangladesh are as follow

1. Jerdon’s  Blind Snake (Typhlops jerdoni), 2. Striped Keelback (Amphiesma stolatum), 3. Dog-faced Water Snake (Cerberus rynchops), 4. Common Bronzeback Tree Snake (Dendrelophistristis), 5. Indian Rat Snake (Ptyasmucosus), 6. Spectacled / Binocellate Cobra (Naja naja) 7. Banded Sea Snake (Hydrophisfasciatus)

Most of the cases people death bybiting of Binocellate cobra (Naja naja), Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus ),Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii )this country. Though snake kills people but people kill snakes more than theykill and the present status of snakes in Bangladesh are very much endangered,as a life being they have same right to live in nature. 

The habitat of snakes loss due toincreasing population, sharing habitat, deforestation, urbanization, extendingcrop land and over use of forest.

Shihan Rahman

Email: shihanrahman87@gmail.com