United Kingdom: The vicious enemies of humans are on the hunt again in recent times in the United Kingdom. Numerous incidents of snake bites have been reported lately. More than 300 cases of exotic snake bites have been reported, including 72 children since the last decade.
While a majority of the victims recovered from venomous injury, a few required intensive care or succumbed to death, and this toll is on the rise again. Owing to the domestication of exotic snakes, such incidents are becoming not-so-rare in the United Kingdom as most victims claimed they had tamed an exotic class of snake. On average, one in a hundred households owns a pet snake in the UK.
The European Adder is so far the only known native venomous snake in the United Kingdom out of the other snakes such as the grass snake and the smooth snake. And the incidents of snake bites from non-native snakes weren’t so common. However, the current inclination of UK citizens towards owning exotic breeds of the reptile is something to worry about.
Although it is not legal, research into its implications is advised by RSPCA.
David Warrell, a professor at Oxford University, explained that most of the biting incidents occur to the hands, wrists and fingers of those indulging in domestication or any occupation relating to handling snakes.
National Poisons Information Services (NPIS) issued the statistics regarding the issue, claim that out of 321 incidents of snake bites between 2009-2020, 68 were from exotic snake breeds. Fifteen victims exhibited symptoms that were really severe. The only fatality that was recorded was due to the venom of the notorious ‘King Cobra’.
Adding to worry is the fact that only 17 out of 321 victims received the ‘anti-venom’ treatment for the snake bite. At the same time, a majority of victims remained devoid of treatment, which resulted in a number of deaths.
Thus, it constitutes grounds to emphasize as the trend for the domestication of exotic snakes continues to grow.
