Snakebite and Wildlife Welfare: Conservation and Human Safety 2025

Keywords: snakebite, snake conservation, antivenom welfare, venom extraction, snake captivity welfare

Snakebite envenomation kills 81,000-138,000 people annually - a neglected tropical disease disproportionately affecting rural populations in Asia and Africa. Antivenom production requires captive snakes maintained in facilities for venom extraction, raising welfare considerations. Venom extraction via manual pressing or electroshock causes stress; optimal facilities provide thermal gradients, hiding spaces, and minimal disturbance. Snake welfare in captivity is underregulated globally. Wild snakes are frequently killed as snakebite prevention - a practice that may increase risk by disrupting snake ecology and prey populations. Conservation-welfare intersections arise in species used for antivenom production. WHO Snakebite Roadmap 2030 includes welfare-conscious antivenom production among its targets.

Key References: WHO Snakebite Strategy 2024; Toxicon 2024; Liverpool School Tropical Medicine Snakebite Report 2023

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