BENGALURU: Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre on Friday said that suitable measures will be taken to ensure that all government and private hospitals, and health centres have sufficient stock of anti-venom. He said the government will also support research on developing species-wise anti-venoms.
Speaking at the announcement of the discovery of four new King Cobra species, one of them endemic to the Western Ghats, Khandre said that despite the availability of anti-venoms in hospitals, awareness about their usage and information among people is limited. He said the government will work on creating awareness and sensitisation among people to reduce snake bite-related deaths. He found it shocking that many people die of snake bites, due to unavailability of anti-venoms and lack of awareness about it. The government will leave no stone unturned in spreading awareness, with the help of conservationists and experts, he added.
Khandre also announced that henceforth, one of the discovered King Cobra species, will have a Kannada name. It will be called Ophiophagus (Ophio means ‘snake’, and phagus ‘eating’) kaalinga.
Noted herpetologist, snake expert and founder of Kalinga Foundation, P Gowri Shankar, following a detailed study with experts from other countries discovered that there are four King Cobra species. This finding has been made for the first time after 185 years. Shankar said the idea and the need for the study arose when he was bitten by a snake and the anti-venom from the Philippines did not help. That is when he started looking for answers and conducted a detailed study on the same.
The four species identified are Northern King Cobra - Ophiophagus Hannah, restricted to eastern Pakistan, northern and eastern India, Andaman Islands, Indo-Burma, Indo-China, and Thailand; Sunda King Cobra Ophiophagus bungarus, which inhibits the Sunday shelf area, including Malay Peninsula, Greater Sunda Islands, and parts of South Philippines; Western Ghats King Cobra - Ophiophagus kaalinga is a newly discovered species endemic to the region; and Luzon King Cobra is another new species inhibiting northern Philippines.
Snake experts and forest officials informed Khandre that there is no anti-venom available for King Cobra bites. Responding, the minister assured that all support will be provided on finding one at the earliest.