With the intense heat, snakes have appeared earlier than usual this year, and snakebites and deaths from them have increased. Deaths from snakebite can be greatly reduced by raising public awareness.

This was said at an awareness campaign held on Tuesday afternoon (23 April) at the office of the assistant commissioner (AC) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Darus Salam zone, with the cooperation of Snake Rescue Team Bangladesh (SRTBD).

Officers of various ranks from the DMP's Shah Ali and Darus Salam police stations and the police outposts under them, along with more than a hundred local people from Mirpur, took part.

Volunteers who rescue snakes and release them into suitable habitats said that with the breeding season of several species approaching, and in search of comfortable conditions in the heat, snakes are leaving wetlands and undergrowth for empty houses and shady spots next to homes. In their view this has increased conflict between people and snakes, and snakebites.

Speakers from SRTBD said members of the Bangladesh Police are the first to come forward when people are in danger, and calls for snake rescue also come through the national emergency service 999.

If police officers gain a clear knowledge of what to do after a snakebite, they can play a leading role in saving lives by giving correct advice to people in villages and towns, and deaths from snakebite will fall sharply, they said.

Noting that more than 7,500 people die of snakebite every year, the young volunteers, who study at educational institutions in Dhaka and elsewhere, advised that snakebite patients be sent without delay to government hospitals and medical college hospitals rather than to an ojha (traditional snake healer).

SRTBD volunteer Md Jobaydur Rahman Mehedi said deaths could be greatly reduced by sending the patient to a government hospital or medical college immediately after the bite so that antivenom can be given.

Khadijatul Kobra Beli, a woman volunteer, said the death rate could be greatly reduced if people moved beyond old beliefs and misconceptions about snakes and took the right steps.

She said Bangladesh has about 105 species of snake, of which only 10 commonly seen species are venomous; the rest are all but rare. "So if we are a little careful, we can very easily protect people from the bites of so few snakes."

Describing the species, volunteer Al Amin Hossain said beneficial, non-venomous snakes such as the darash (rat snake), ghormoni, jolodhora, dudhraj, laudoga, kalnagini and hele are found, along with venomous species such as the padma gokhra and khoiya gokhra, Russell's viper (chandraboda), kalach and shankhini.

Referring to a recent rescue of a venomous Russell's viper (chandraboda), SRTBD volunteer Saad Ahmed Apu said many people dismiss this snake, mistaking it for a python hatchling. Many people have died of Russell's viper bites because of a lack of awareness, he said.

The volunteers called for proper enforcement of the wildlife conservation law to protect the balance of the environment and ecosystems, the creation of wildlife sanctuaries and strict legal action against poachers and wildlife traffickers.

Darus Salam zone AC Mofizur Rahman Palash conducted the event. Darus Salam police station inspector (investigation) Jamal Uddin, Shah Ali police station inspector (operations) Md Habibur Rahman, police members serving at various outposts and Sabbir Ahmed, a representative of a non-government voluntary organisation, among others, were present.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.