Future of snakebite risk in India: Consequence of climate change and the shifting habitats of the big four species in next five decades.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Climate change is anticipated to significantly impact the biogeographic distribution of snakes, leading to notable shifts in their habitats toward anthropogenic landscapes. This may potentially increase the incidence of Big Four species (Bungarus caeruleus, Daboia russelii, Echis carinatus, and Naja naja) envenomation, a notable human-health risk that has not yet been assessed in India being the most affected country in South Asia. Therefore, this study integrates species distributions with socioeconomic and healthcare data to prioritize areas for targeted interventions to mitigate the envenomation risks effectively in India.

Methodology/principal findings

The present study employed ensemble species distribution models (SDMs) to analyze the geographical distributi

SUBMITTER: Abedin I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12404559 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature