SnakeBites
More Articles Related to WildlifeHerpetologists place the total number of snake species at somewhere near three thousand. Of these about 450 have venom toxic to humans. Of the 120 species of snakes in North America only about twenty are considered venomous.
How Many People Are Bitten By Snakes?
It is estimated that throughout the world some 2,500,000 people are bitten by venomous and non-venomous snakes every year. As many as one person in twenty who suffers a snakebite will succumb to its toxic venom or from infection resulting from the bite. Many more will undergo grievous life-threatening infections or toxic shock.
- Europe 25,000 people bitten by snakes, 30 snakebite fatalities
- Middle East 20,000 people bitten by snakes, 100 snakebite fatalities
- USA and Canada 45,000 people bitten by snakes, 15 snakebite fatalities
- Central and South America 300,000 people bitten by snakes, 5,000 snakebite fatalities
- Africa 1,000,000 people bitten by snakes, 20,000 snakebite fatalities
- Asia 4,000,000 people bitten by snakes, 100,000 snakebite fatalities
- Oceania 10,000 people bitten by snakes, 200 snakebite fatalities
- Total 5,400,000 people bitten by snakes, 125,345 snakebite fatalities
Especially vulnerable to poisonous snakes are the very young and the elderly. However the majority of snake bites happen to males in their twenties. This occurs due to a combination of being more physically active and more prone to taking risks than other segments of the population.
In the United States deaths from venomous and non-venomous snake are at a much lower rate than the rest of the world. Of the estimated 7,500 bites from venomous species of snakes there are about 10 deaths per year. The lower number of snakebite fatalities may be due to more widely available snakebite treatments and antivenom, was well as the lower toxicity of North American venomous snakes as compared to snakes living in other areas of the world.
Venomless Venomous Snakebites
It has been found that being bitten by a venomous snake does not necessarily mean the wound will be envenomated. Nearly half of those bitten by snakes known to have venom were not injected with toxin. Speculation as to why this occurs includes
- The snake is only warning the person and does not want to waste its venom
- The snake’s venom has been previously depleted so that there is no more to inject at that time.
- The venom of the snake was delivered, but before biting through the victim’s skin.
How to Tell if a Snake is Poisonous
Nearly all poisonous snakes in North America are pit vipers and have a vertical pupil, much like a cat's eye. The coral snake is a venomous snake that is an exception and has a round pupil like most other non-poisonous snakes.
Avoid Being Bitten by a Snake
Even though your chances of surviving a snakebite are excellent, you will still want to avoid having any serpents fangs pierce your skin. Even if the snake does not have toxic venom a snakes large fangs can cause massive tissue damage leading to infection that if not treated can sometimes become toxic and even fatal.
Be aware that some species of snake do not have to bite in order to deliver toxic venom. Cobras and rinkhals are capable of spitting snake venom into your eyes. This leads to pain, problems with vision, and even blindness.
Next up – How to Protect Yourself From Snakes
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