The main activities organised in this project were training events for Forest Department staff. These were 1-day events, which included both a presentation and a practical session. The presentation covered basic snake biology, their ecological significance and conservation needs, the different types of venomous and non-venomous snakes in the region, busting traditional and modern (internet-generated) myths, prevention and treatment of snakebite. We then went through the proper procedure for the safe handling and release of snakes to remove them from a conflict situation. We followed this with a practical session (which used live snakes wherever possible, obtained with permits from the Forest Department), in which the tools (hooks, baggers, bags, tubes) were demonstrated and participants were invited to practice these skills. As far as possible, we held these training events in all districts of Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim, with varying numbers of participants. Sets consisting of a snake hook, bagger and 2 bags were donated, the number depending on the size of the event, and educational material was also given out. These included copies of the training manual produced by a previous ESRC-IAA grant (in English and Hindi), posters on how to prevent snakebite (in Hindi) and posters featuring local venomous and non-venomous snakes, with local language and English names. Forestry staff will display these in their local areas. India has been dubbed "snakebite capital of the world", with an estimated 50,000 deaths every year. The actions needed to address the problem are complex, partly because the country is diverse and includes a number of different biogeographical zones, with different venomous snake species. With the process involved in generating new treatments for snakebite taking years, it is imperative to try and reduce snakebite through education to reduce the incidence of snakebite. An important component of that is establishing a network of "rescuers", who are trained and equipped to handle venomous snakes safely, to remove snakes from situations where they come into conflict with people. In India, the primary responders to human-wildlife conflict are the Forest and Wildlife Department staff, but they are often not able to do so in the case of snakes. In this project, we carried out an intensive training program and donated specially-made snake handling equipment to the Forest Department in two states situated in the Himalayan mountain range, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh, together with information of the snakes (both venomous and non-venomous) found in their states. This is an effective way of disseminating information to all areas of the State as the range officers are based in, and are often drawn from among, the communities they work in. The immediate underpinning research arose from an EU-Marie Curie Action (International Research Staff Exchange Scheme) which focussed on snakebite management. However, research relevant to the problem in India dates back to 1992 (revision of cobra and Russell’s viper systematics) as the recognition of distinct species with different clinical sequelae is the first step to improving snakebite management. This early work began at Aberdeen University, shifting to Bangor in 1994 and led to Dr Malhotra's current status as co-ordinator for East Asia of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Viper Specialist Group. Current research is predominantly directed towards improving antivenom formulation through identifying the mixture of clinically relevant species present in different regions of India, and evaluating the effectiveness of the current antivenom towards their venoms. The Himalayan and north-eastern states, situated in a region with high biodiversity and different species compared to the rest of India are most in need of this work. While in contact with the Forestry Department staff in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim to arrange permits in the past few years, we have realised that there is very little knowledge of snakes not just among the wider population, but also among the staff of the organisation that is tasked with handling human-wildlife conflict. Forestry Department range and beat officers live and work among the people of their communities, and are often drawn from these communities themselves. They are best placed to communicate messages about the importance of snakes, how to prevent snakebites, and what to do in the unfortunate case of snakebite. They can also help to decrease human-snake conflict by removing snakes from houses and other high-conflict areas. While there are a lot of on-line resources available, handling of venomous snakes is not to be taken lightly and requires proper equipment and training in how to use it. We used a model that had been developed and tested in a previous ESRC-IAA funded project, and adapted it for use in this context (like most other resources, this focused on the “Big Four” venomous species, which largely do not occur in the Himalayan/northern eastern states). Direct beneficiaries are Forest Department Staff in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim states in India, while indirect beneficiaries will be members of the communities in which they work, who will be able to call on them to remove venomous snakes that enter houses, schools and other workplaces. Raising awareness of the problem of snakebite among senior levels of the Forest Department has led to specific proposals to tackle the problem though government-funded programs (in development)
| Impact status | Potential |
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| Impact date | 2019 |
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| Category of impact | Health/Quality of life |
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| Impact level | Engagement |
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