The findings, published in the Lancet Planetary Health journal, say low-income countries in south and southeast Asia, as well as parts of Africa, will be particularly vulnerable to an increase in snakebites.
The study modeled the geographic distribution of 209 venomous snake species known to cause serious health problems in humans. An attempt was made to see where by 2070 favorable climatic conditions will be created for different species of snakes.
While the range of most venomous snake species will decline due to the loss of tropical and subtropical ecosystems, some species, such as the gabon viper, will experience a 250 percent increase in habitat. It is predicted that by 2070 the ranges of European viper and pronghorn viper will also more than double.
But some snakes, including the African-only green honey viper and the American horned viper, will lose more than 70 percent of their body mass. its distribution area.
“As more and more land is converted to agriculture and livestock, the natural habitats that snakes depend on are also disappearing,” said study authors Pablo Ariel Martinez and Talita F. Amado.
“However, some snakes, especially those that pose a health risk, can adapt to agricultural landscapes and even thrive in certain crop fields or livestock areas that have food sources such as rodents.” “Our study shows that when we start seeing venomous snakes in new places, it’s a signal for us to start thinking about how to protect ourselves and our environment,” the study authors said.
According to the World Health Organization, 1.8 to 2.7 million people are bitten by poisonous snakes every year. people, resulting in up to 138,000 deaths and at least 400,000 amputations and disabilities. WHO 2017 classified snakebite as a neglected tropical disease with the highest priority.
“Now we finally know more about how snakes will migrate due to climate change, but there is also great concern that natural disasters, such as floods that drive people from their homes, will increase the number of human-snake encounters and increase the number of snakebites. We urgently need to understand how snake migration will affect the number of bites and where it will occur so that we can prepare,” said Anna Pintor, WHO scientist.
Based on information from The Guardian.
