Assam Study Reveals Dead Snakes Can Still Inject Venom

Rapid Summary

• Location: Assam,India.
• Finding: Zoologists and health specialists report the first-ever cases of envenoming by dead monocled cobras and kraits in India.
• Scientific Context: Dead or decapitated snakes remain capable of injecting venom for hours due to their cold-blooded metabolism, which keeps their brains active longer than warm-blooded animals.
• study Details:

– Published in Frontiers in Tropical Disease journal.
– Authored by Susmita Thakur, Robin Doley, Surajit Giri, Gaurav Choudhary, and Hemen Nath.
– Cited three cases across Assam involving monocled cobras (Naja kaouthia) and a lesser black krait (Bungarus lividus).

• Case Information:

– all victims required anti-snake venom (20 vials each) and prolonged hospital stays (up to 25 days).
– A victim bitten by a krait dead for three hours also required ventilation support.
– reflexive biting occurred when victims touched the snakes’ heads or necks after death or decapitation.

• Expert Clarification: Cold-blooded snake brains can stay active for up to six hours post-mortem compared to mammals’ much shorter time frame.

Indian Opinion Analysis

This discovery raises notable concerns about human-wildlife interactions in rural India, where contact with venomous snakes is relatively common. The persistence of reflexive biting after death necessitates increased public awareness campaigns on handling snakes safely-even after presumed death. This study is not onl