The four
venomous snake species responsible for causing the greatest number of medically significant human
snake bite cases on the
Indian subcontinent (majorly in
India) are sometimes collectively referred to as the Big Four. They are as follows:
[Whitaker Z. 1990. Snakeman. Penguin Books Ltd. 192 pp. .]
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Russell's viper, ''Daboia russelii''
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Common krait, ''Bungarus caeruleus''
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Indian cobra, ''Naja naja''
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Indian saw-scaled viper, ''Echis carinatus''
File:Daboia russelii A Chawla01.jpg, '' Daboia russelii'', Russell's viper
File:Bungarus caerulus.jpg, '' Bungarus caeruleus'', the common krait
File:Cobra.jpg, '' Naja naja'', the Indian cobra
File:Saw-scaled Viper (Echis carinatus) Photographed By Shantanu Kuveskar.jpg, '' Echis carinatus'', the saw-scaled viper
File:Snakebites by species in India (2020 study).jpg, Snakebites by species in India
According to a 2020 study that did a comprehensive analysis of snake bites in India, Russell’s viper accounted for 43% of the snakebites in India, followed by kraits (18%), cobras (12%), hump nose viper (4%), saw-scaled viper (1.7%), and water snake (0.3%). The rest (21%) were of unidentified species.
Treatment
A
polyvalent serum that effectively neutralizes the venom of all of the Big Four anti-venoms are widely available in India, and is frequently administered to save lives.
References
{{reflist
Snakes
Venomous snakes
Reptiles of India
Animal attacks by geographic location