Panic over the venomous Russell's viper has spread in Kalapara, Patuakhali. Since the afternoon of Sunday, 23 June, rumours have been spreading on Facebook that the snake has been seen.

Kalapara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Rabiul Islam said people should be aware rather than panic about the Russell's viper, and asked people to remove the posts circulating on Facebook.

He said the report that a Russell's viper had been found at the upazila's Jalal Uddin College was not true. It was in fact a local species of snake, and it had been killed in 2023.

In addition, many people are taking photos of any snake, posting them on Facebook and passing them off as Russell's vipers, and many others are sharing them without understanding, causing panic among ordinary people.

Bayzid Munshi, a team member of Animal Lovers of Patuakhali, Kalapara, said many people were spreading rumours on Facebook out of excess enthusiasm. "In fact, no Russell's viper has been seen in this area recently. We ask people to inform us if they see any snake, not just a Russell's viper," he said.

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