Big Four (Indian snakes)

For other uses, see Big Four.

These are the four venomous snake species responsible for causing the most human snake bite cases in South Asia (mostly in India) and Sri Lanka. They are referred to as the big four.

Snakes

The Big Four:^[1]

Indian cobra, Naja naja
Common krait, Bungarus caeruleus
Russell's viper, Daboia russelii
Saw-scaled viper, Echis carinatus

Naja naja, the spectacled cobra.
Bungarus caeruleus, the common krait.
Daboia russelii, Russell's viper.
Echis carinatus, the saw-scaled viper.

Treatment

A polyvalent serum that effectively neutralizes the venom of all of the Big Four snakes is widely available in India and is frequently used to save lives.

References

↑ Whitaker Z. 1990. Snakeman. Penguin Books Ltd. 192 pp. ISBN 0-14-014308-4.

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