Country guide
A national survey in 2012–2013 estimated that Sri Lanka has more than 80,000 snakebites, 30,000 envenomings and 400 snakebite deaths each year. WHO ranks the Indian cobra, common krait, Russell's viper and hump-nosed viper as the most medically important species, and a 2008 study found the antivenoms then available ineffective against hump-nosed viper bites.
~80,000
snakebites a year (2012–2013 national survey)1
~400
snakebite deaths a year1
35%
of bites by identified snakes were hump-nosed vipers3
If someone is bitten
Antivenom is given in hospitals. Don’t wait for symptoms.
Australia
Australian first aid for snakebite uses a pressure immobilisation bandage and splint, and advises not washing the bite.
Bangladesh
A 2017 study noted that the Indian polyvalent antivenom used in Bangladesh is not made from the venoms of local species such as the monocled cobra, and it did not prevent local tissue damage from cobra bites.
Brazil
Antivenom is free in Brazil's public health system (SUS), but it is only given in hospital, at reference hospitals chosen by each state.
India
Indian polyvalent antivenom is raised against the 'Big Four' and may not neutralise some regional species, such as the monocellate cobra in the North-East and the hump-nosed pit viper in the south-west.
Indonesia
Indonesia's own antivenom, made by Bio Farma, is raised against only three species (Javan spitting cobra, banded krait and Malayan pit viper), so it may work poorly for bites by other snakes such as green pit vipers.
Kenya
Antivenom is usually stocked only at hospitals and some health centres, so people bitten in rural areas often need to be referred, and delays are common.
Mexico
Mexico's public health system uses two anti-viper antivenoms; one is made from the venoms of the terciopelo and the Mexican west coast rattlesnake.
Nepal
100 is the police emergency number; call 102 for an ambulance.
Nigeria
Antivenoms made from Nigerian snake venoms (EchiTAb G and EchiTAb-Plus-ICP) have proved effective in clinical trials, while some imported antivenoms made from non-African snake venoms have proved ineffective.
Pakistan
Rescue 1122 handles ambulance and fire emergencies; the police number is 15.
Philippines
The only antivenom made in the Philippines is Philippine Cobra Antivenom, raised against the Philippine cobra; there is no locally made antivenom for pit viper bites.
South Africa
112 works for all emergencies from a mobile phone; 10177 is ambulance and fire, and 10111 is police.
Sri Lanka
119 (or 118) is the police emergency number; call 1990 for an ambulance.
United States
For free, expert 24/7 advice you can also call Poison Help on 1-800-222-1222, but call 911 in an emergency.
Not listed? Call your local emergency number.
Venomous first
Bungarus caeruleus
South Asia
Medically significant
Hypnale hypnale
Sri Lanka and south-western India
Medically significant
Naja naja
South Asia
Medically significant
Daboia russelii
South Asia
Medically significant
Echis carinatus
India to Arabia
Medically significant
Ahaetulla nasuta
Sri Lanka
Mildly venomousLook-alikes
Harmless snakes are often killed because they look like dangerous ones. Learn the differences, and still never handle a snake.
Differences from Smith (1943), cited in both profiles. They help you learn the two apart; they are not a safe basis for handling any snake.
Harmless to people
They may still bite if handled. Give every snake space.
Every species
8 have a full profile so far. The others are listed by family, without a venom status until they have a sourced profile.
Source: Uetz, P. et al. (eds.), The Reptile Database, version 2026-06, via the Catalogue of Life (COL26.9). CC BY 4.0. Ranges in the source can be incomplete.
Ediriweera DS, Kasturiratne A, Pathmeswaran A, et al. Mapping the risk of snakebite in Sri Lanka – a national survey with geospatial analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(7):e0004813. doi.org
World Health Organization. Guidelines for the production, control and regulation of snake antivenom immunoglobulins. WHO Technical Report Series No. 1004, Annex 5 (2017), Appendix 1: medically important venomous snakes of Sri Lanka. cdn.who.int
Ariaratnam CA, Thuraisingam V, Kularatne SA, et al. Frequent and potentially fatal envenoming by hump-nosed pit vipers (Hypnale hypnale and H. nepa) in Sri Lanka: lack of effective antivenom. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2008;102(11):1120–1126. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
