Guwahati, Jan 28 : Snakebites remain a major public health concern in Assam and often lead to fatalities due to delayed medical intervention and lack of awareness on proper first-aid measures, experts said on Tuesday.

Dr. Surajit Giri, who is a specialist in snakebite treatment in Assam, said that on average there are around 35, 000 snakebite cases per year.

Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) Director Sonali Ghosh quoting government data told IANS that in 2024 there were around 11,000 snake bites and 36 deaths.

A two-day capacity-building workshop on ethical snake rescue and snake bite prevention, held on January 27-28 at the Kohora Convention Centre in KNPTR.

The event saw the active participation of 43 nature enthusiasts and forest officials from eight districts -- Kaziranga, Nagaon, Biswanath, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Assam Forest Department, Help Earth, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, and the Zoological Society of Assam.

Sonali Ghosh said that this initiative represents a critical step toward developing a well-trained and informed network of nature enthusiasts and frontline forest personnel in Assam.

Assam, with its rich biodiversity, is home to numerous snake species, including the King Cobra (Roja Feti), Monocled Cobra (ChokoriFeti), Banded Krait (Goala sap), various species of pit vipers, some of which are highly venomous and contribute to the region's snake bite-related fatalities, she said.

The KNPTR Director said that the state witnesses a high number of human-snake encounters, particularly during the four-month (June-September) long monsoon season when rising floodwaters force snakes to seek shelter in human settlements.

Snakebite remains a major public health concern, often leading to fatalities due to delayed medical intervention and lack of awareness on proper first-aid measures, the senior IFS officer said.

The core resource person for the workshop was Gnaneswar Ch, Project Leader for Snakebite Mitigation at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (MCBT).

His sessions provided in-depth training on advanced techniques in safe snake rescue handling, effective first-aid measures for snakebites, community engagement strategies to reduce human-snake conflict, conservation ethics and rehabilitation techniques.

Ghosh said that participants engaged in interactive sessions and practical demonstrations, gaining hands-on experience with safe snake rescue methods and learning effective ways to respond to snakebite incidents.

One of the highlights of the program was the distribution of snake rescue kits, ensuring that trained rescuers are well-equipped to carry out their work efficiently.

The official said that the success of this workshop reaffirms the collective commitment to reducing snakebite mortality, promoting conservation, and fostering human-snake coexistence.

The organisers expressed their hope that such capacity-building efforts would empower local rescuers and forest personnel to address snake-related challenges more effectively. With continued training, awareness, and collaboration, Assam can move toward a future where both humans and snakes can thrive in harmony, the KNPTR) Director said.

/IANS