Russell's Viper Snake | 18 Oct 2024

Recently, a man in Bihar shocked everyone by arriving at a hospital with the venomous snake (Russell's Viper) that had bitten him.

Russell's Viper:
- Russell’s Viper is one of India's most dangerous snakes. Its venom is hemotoxic, causing internal bleeding, muscle damage, and renal failure.
- Bites from this snake can be fatal if untreated, with symptoms including severe pain, swelling, and bleeding .
Venom and Antivenom:
- Venom Composition: The venom of Russell’s Viper disrupts blood clotting, leading to internal bleeding.
- Antivenom Production: Venom is extracted from snakes, injected into animals (usually horses), which then produce antibodies. These antibodies are extracted to create antivenom
Legal Protection under WPA, 1972:
- The Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972 classifies Russell’s Viper as protected wildlife under schedule II.
- Handling, capturing, or harming these snakes without permission is illegal.

The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides a legal framework for the protection of various species of wild animals and plants, management of their habitats, regulation, and control of trade in wild animals, plants, and products made from them
The act also lists schedules of plants and animals that are afforded varying degrees of protection and monitoring by the government.
India's entry to the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) was made easier by the Wildlife Act, 1972.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir was not covered by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 now applies to J&K as a result of the reorganisation act.