All health centres and hospitals in Bangladesh have been ordered to stock anti-venom after reports of an increase in people being bitten by snakes, especially by the Russell's viper.
About Russell’s Viper:
It is a highly venomousterrestrial snake of the family Viperidae found in Asia.
Scientific Name: Daboia russeli
The species is named after Patrick Russell, a Scottish herpetologist who first described many of India’s snakes in the 1790s.
It is one of the big four snakes (deadliest snakes) in India, the others being the Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), the Indian Cobra (Naja naja) and the Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus).
Distribution: Russell's vipers are found in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia, Tibet, China (Guangxi, Guangdong), Taiwan, and Indonesia.
Habitat:
They tend to avoid dense forests.
They are mostly found in open, grassy, or bushy areas, but may also be found in second-growth forests (scrub jungles), on forested plantations, and on farmland.
It is a major cause of snakebitedeaths within its rangebecauseit often exists in farmlands where human contact and rodent prey is abundant.
However, it tends to avoid human contact and does not actively seek to bite people.
Most bites occur when humans inadvertently step on or try to handle the snake.
Most fatalities occur due to delayed medical treatment.
Features:
The snake can grow up to 1.5 meters and is identified by its distinctive reddish-brown spots outlined in black and white.
It has a wide, triangular head with small, overlapping scales, large nostrils, and small eyes with vertical pupils.
It is mainly nocturnal, becoming active as the sun fades.
These snakes are quite sedentary, often staying in one place for several days unless disturbed.
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