Deadly King Cobras Spotted Near Mount Everest, Experts Call It A Climate Change Sign
Experts believe the snakes' sudden presence in the hills and mountains may be a result of changing climate patterns.
Some of the world's most venomous snakes have been turning up in the Kathmandu Valley. Over the past one and a half months, 10 highly venomous snakes – nine King Cobras and one Monocled Cobra – have been rescued from different parts of the Valley, a region which is closer to Mount Everest.
According to The Kathmandu Post, officials from Dakshinkali Municipality said the King Cobras were rescued from areas like Gopaleshwor, Bhanjyang, Sokhol and Fulchowk. 'Those snakes were rescued from houses and compounds with the help of a snake rescuer and were released in the nearby forest," said Jaya Thapa Magar, chair of the municipality's ward 1. Locals have also reported spotting cobra nests and eggs in nearby jungles.
King Cobras, the world's longest venomous snakes, usually live in dense forests of India, Southeast Asia and the Philippines. It is extremely rare for them to appear in the cooler, high-altitude areas of Nepal. The Monocled Cobra, known for the circular marking on its hood, is typically found in lowlands and wetlands.
'These snakes might have come to the Valley with logs and hay in trucks but have already made habitats here," Subodh Acharya, a snake rescue trainer from Mithila Wildlife Trust, Janakpur, told the outlet. He said he has rescued king cobras from several areas of the Valley, including Dakshinkali, Syuchatar, Gokarna, Godawari and the Sisneri area of Makwanpur.
Experts believe the snakes' sudden presence in the hills and mountains may be a result of changing climate patterns. Nepal is among the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and has seen more extreme weather over the past 15 years. Data shows that the maximum temperature in Nepal is rising by 0.05°C every year which is faster than the rise in minimum temperature which is 0.03°C annually. According to the report citing meteorologists, hilly and mountain districts are warming faster than the Tarai that is possibly helping these snakes adapt and survive in new areas.
To address the growing risk, the country's Ministry of Health and Population has expanded snakebite treatment centres to over a dozen locations in the hills. Officials have also stocked these centres with anti-snake venom imported from India. The antivenom treats bites from four common snakes: the common cobra, common krait, Russell's viper and saw-scaled viper. However, the saw-scaled viper is not yet found in Nepal.
The report mentioned that bites from pit vipers in mountain areas are also on the rise. Current antivenoms are not effective against pit viper venom.
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