A new study has found that climate change could cause venomous snakes to migrate and expand their habitats into northern and northeastern India, regions not traditionally known for these species. This shift could significantly increase the risk of snakebites, which are already a major public health issue in the country.
The “Big Four” on the Move
Researchers from Dibru-Saikhowa Conservation Society, Assam Agricultural University, and Pukyong National University in South Korea focused their study on the “Big Four” venomous snakes: common krait, Russell’s viper, echis carinatus, and Indian cobra. These four species are responsible for the majority of human snakebite cases in India.
The study projects that rising temperatures and humidity could make states like Haryana, Rajasthan, and Assam more suitable habitats for these snakes. The findings also suggest that northeastern states such as Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh could see a greater than 100% increase in suitable habitat. This migration will increase human-snake interactions in both rural and urban areas, posing a new challenge for public health and medical management.
A Looming Public Health Crisis
The study is the first of its kind to combine climate patterns with a region’s socioeconomic vulnerability and healthcare capacity to create a snakebite risk index. While the index identified southern states like Karnataka and Gujarat as having high vulnerability, it also highlighted a significant increase in risk for northern and northeastern regions under climate change scenarios.
The researchers stated that this research shows that climate change is not just an environmental crisis but a looming public health crisis. They urge local governments and international organizations to intensify efforts to both counter climate change and protect vulnerable regions from snake envenomation.