The highly venomous snake Russell's viper has become more frequently spotted in Bangladesh, causing widespread anxiety and terror around the once severely endangered species.
Conservationists claim that despite the viper's protection under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act since 2012, indiscriminate snake killings have increased due to the species' apparent population expansion.
Professor Farid Ahsan, a major authority on the species, reports that the venomous reptile, once restricted to just 17 districts, has now been sighted in 27 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts this year.
The worrying tendency of people, particularly young people, to flock to locations where snake sightings have been reported as a result of the increased sightings. Despite being motivated by curiosity, this behaviour puts people and the snake population at risk.
The public's fear-based response, experts caution, is unhelpful and may put the already vulnerable ecology in much greater jeopardy.
According to a report by Dr Ahsan, Russell’s viper is mostly terrestrial but also found in water bodies, and it is a good swimmer. It is crepuscular and nocturnal in habit during hot weather but becomes active during the day in cool weather.
As per the report, farmers are the main victims of the snake bites because they work in the crop fields, and 17 of the dead victims were males, of whom 14 died in 2016, one in 2015, two in 2014, and three in 2013. On the other hand, more than 100 snakes (Russell's vipers) have been killed by local people during that time period.
Local people are very scared of the bite of this species and use local techniques like 3-4 m-long light bamboo and gentle stirring of paddy plants to run off snakes before harvesting crops.
The snake species, which bears the name of the Scottish herpetologist Patrick Russell from the 18th century, is also present in India, from where Bangladesh is currently importing the antidote for snake bites.
Given the dire consequences for both humans and snakes, the experts have been promoting initiatives aimed at raising farmer awareness. They recommend taking precautions, including using lamps at night, wearing rubber boots in crop fields, and using sticks to make noises that frighten away snakes.