Foreign snakes are biting more people in the UK

Snake bites are nasty, and though like other animals, snakes are vilified way more than their actual threat to humankind, snake venom running through veins literally dissolving our tissues and organs is not something anyone looks forward to while going camping.

In UK, it has been found that there is an increase in number of snakebites from foreign or 'exotic' snakes.

Why?

Because their is increase in the number of people keeping these species as pets.

A study has logged 321 exotic snake bites on 300 individuals between 2009 and 2020. These cases involved 568 different species. This comes to 30 snake bites a year. If you think the number is low then compare this with record from 2004 and 2010. An average of 22 snake bites per year.

The study has been published in the journal Clinical Toxicology. The datafrom the study has been taken from snake bite enquiries made to National Poisons Information Service (NPIS).

"Most of these bites occur to fingers, hands and wrists following deliberate handling interaction by people who keep snakes as part of their occupation or hobby," says David Warrell, a professor of tropical medicine at the University of Oxford in the UK. He was quoted by EurekaAlert.

"While ownership of many poisonous species requires a special licence in the UK, it is recognized that some individuals may keep these snakes illegally – meaning the true numbers of exotic snake bite injuries may be underestimated."

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