Venom collected from Goa to treat snakebites
GOANEWS DESK, PONDA | 21 March 2013 19:57 IST
Goa is one of the prime locations targeted to collect venom, in order to prepare anti-venom to cure snake bites.
As the existing anti-venom is not very effective, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology’’ (MCBT) has started collecting venom from five select states – Kerala, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Goa.
The project is being taken up in collaboration with the scientists at the Indian Institute of Science and National Center for Biological Sciences and the Global Snakebite.
Nirmal Kuklarni, Goa’s wildlife activist, told goanews.com that it is a special drive being conducted to work on a strong anti-venom hat could even fight the poisonous bite of Russell’s Viper.
A more effective anti-venom has become the need of the hour as thousands of people die due to snakebites.
Ponda Range Forest Office had arranged presentation by Nirmal Kulkarni on biodiversity, on the occasion of World Forest Day.
While speaking on the occasion, Kulkarni observed that turtles living in fresh water are on the way of extinction as people from rural areas poach them.
He has appealed to all the people to take conscious steps towards stopping poaching and save turtles as they are also important for human life.
