Experts urge calm as Russell’s Viper panic triggers rampant snake killings in Ctg
The fear of Russell’s Viper, fueled by misinformation on social media, is leading to indiscriminate killings of snakes in Chattogram, threatening biodiversity and agriculture as the reptile plays a crucial role in controlling harmful pests, according to experts.
They said the presence of Russell’s Viper in hilly regions like Chattogram and Sylhet is unlikely and urged against unnecessary snake killings. The government agencies, including the Forest Department, are working to raise public awareness.
Terrified locals recently killed several snakes in the district, including non-venomous pythons, mistakenly thinking they were Russell’s Vipers (locally known as Chandrabora).
Incidents included beatings and burning in Chattogram’s Lohagara and Anwara, and Cox’s Bazar’s Ramu, with images circulating on social media.
Dipannita Bhattacharjee, Chattogram Wildlife and Nature Conservation officer, said these killings were due to misinformation and urged public awareness.
The wildlife expert identified the snakes killed in Lohagara as a Burmese python and a round-tailed python, and in Ramu as a Burmese python. “It’s unclear if the snake killed in Anwara was a Russell’s viper.”
Dr Aniruddha Ghose, principal investigator of Venom Research Centre, told The Business Standard that although the presence of Russell’s Viper exists in many old records in Chattogram, there is no recent record of this snake being seen or anyone dying from its bite in the district.
The researcher advised people not to panic saying that there is sufficient stock of antivenom in all district and upazila hospitals of the country.
Recently, after three deaths from Chandrabora bites in Manikganj, Jashore, and Dhaka, social media has been filled with posts about the “widespread presence” of Russell’s viper in the country.
Mohammad Abdul Wahed Chowdhury, snake researcher and associate professor of zoology at Chittagong University, said the claims of Chandraboras attacking unprovoked and its bite leading to inevitable deaths are entirely false.
“Like other snakes, Russell’s viper strikes only when threatened, often warning with a hiss beforehand. Unlike the African black mamba, it does not attack unprovoked, nor is its venom immediately fatal,” added the professor.
He further said that over the past 20 years, Russell’s Viper has been sighted in limited areas across 25-26 districts along the Padma River. These snakes were not found in large numbers but were concentrated in specific locations such as agricultural land and dense vegetation.
He added, “However, in hilly regions like Chattogram and Sylhet, the presence of this snake is unlikely now and in the future due to unfavourable environmental conditions.”
The researcher said the killing of snakes threatens ecological balance. “A decrease in snake populations could result in an increase of harmful insects and rodents, leading to significant losses in agricultural production, particularly of rice and wheat.”
Moreover, disrupting the food chain could have long-term consequences on nature and contribute to outbreaks of diseases carried by rodents, he warned.
