Ulubora is another name of Russell’s viper or Chandrabora snake. Few of these venomous snakes have been seen for years. But over the years its migration has been increasing again. Again the snake is changing its natural character.
In the last one month, Russell’s Viper has been seen in different places of the country including Charghat of Rajshahi, Godagari, Goaland of Rajbari, Matlab of Chandpur. At least five people have lost their lives in Manikganj on the banks of Padma in the last three months due to snake bites. Fear is spreading in the country about this poisonous snake.
Experts say that the snakes are now in breeding season, so there are more. But Russell’s Viper’s adaptability has also increased. During the coming monsoon season, the movement of snakes along the Padma basin will become easier. Therefore, the fear of increasing the number of Russell’s vipers in the future is not unreasonable. The snake pours out the maximum amount of venom during its bite. Therefore, the risk of death increases if treatment is not taken at the earliest.
About 104 species of snakes are found in the country. Among them, 30 species of snakes are poisonous. Russell’s viper is the most poisonous. Chittagong’s Venom Research Center said on their website, not only Bangladesh, there are very poisonous Russell’s vipers in India, Bhutan, Thailand, Cambodia, China and Myanmar. This snake usually lives on grass, bushes, forests, mangroves and crops.
Sohel Rana, a reptile expert at Gazipur’s Sheikh Kamal Wildlife Center, told Prothom Alo that Russell’s viper was known as the snake of the Barendra region as the reason why Russell’s viper has been roaming in the country for several years. It is basically a dry land snake. In Barendra region, there was a lot of movement to eat rats in a crop field. But now those areas are having crops at other times, rats are increasing.
Stating that the number of Russell’s Vipers is increasing in this natural cycle, Sohel Rana said, Russell’s Viper’s ability to adapt to nature has increased. As a result, it is able to float downstream from dry areas with any floating matter such as debris. Russell’s viper is found in many districts of the southern region, although its population has increased mainly along the Padma basin. This snake has also been seen in Hatia, Bhola.
Sohel Rana also told Prothom Alo that since these snakes give birth without laying eggs, the chances of survival of the snake babies are high. Russell’s vipers usually make a lot of hissing noises. Other snakes scurry away after biting humans, but Russell’s viper refuses to leave the scene.
Although Russell’s viper is a terrestrial snake, he has seen it moving fast in water, said Farid Ahsan, professor of Zoology Department of Chittagong University. That means it can now live comfortably on both land and water, he said. Russell’s viper is learning to adapt to nature.
Professor Farid Ahsan is researching on ‘Re-emergence of Russell’s viper and risk to humans’. Prothom Alo said that the breeding season of this snake is any time of the year. However, breeding occurs most during the next three months from May. As the snake can now walk on water, it can migrate long distances with water during the rainy season.
Professor Farid Ahsan said, the snake was in Bangladesh even in the eighties. However, people’s knowledge was less because there was no research at that time. But now the people in the grasslands or on the banks of the river have to be more careful.
Loss of life and awareness activities
In the three months of March to May, at least five people lost their lives due to the venomous Russell’s viper bite in Char area of Harirampur, Manikganj.
Apart from this, two students, including a university student, died after being bitten by Russell’s viper in Rajshahi in a span of one day last month. Panic arose in this incident. After the death of a laborer while cutting paddy, there is more panic among the workers of paddy cutting. The house of Shakinur Rahman, a student who died after being bitten by Russell’s viper, is at Charghat. He was a student of the 2016-17 academic year of the Psychology Department of Rajshahi University.
A report published in the online edition of the English daily The Daily Star on June 3 mentioned that at least 10 people have died due to the bite of Russell’s viper in various districts including Rajshahi, Rajbari, Manikganj along the banks of Padma this year.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Harirampur. Shahriar Rahman told Prothom Alo that the three unions Azimnagar, Sutaldi and Lechhraganj are the area between the Padma river and the snake infestation is high in these places. It takes at least three hours to go from here to Manikganj Sadar, which greatly increases the risk of snake bite patients. For this, awareness activities are being conducted in the area by miking.
UNO said farmers are requested to wear boots to the crop field. There is an app called ‘Snake Bite Awareness’ on mobile phones to make people aware.
Reports of Russell’s viper bites have been increasing over the past few years. Along with this, the release of this snake is also increasing. Professor Farid Ahsan said that most of the Russell’s Vipers were released in a safe place across the Padma River. He thinks the risk is low.
A 2023 study by the Department of Health’s Non-Communicable Disease Control Branch (NCDC) says that about 43,000 people are bitten by snakes in the country every year. Among them, 7500 people died. Apart from this, 10.6 percent of snake bite patients suffer from physical disability and 1.9 percent suffer from mental disability.