Snakebite kills up to 138,000 people annually and permanently disables 400,000 more, while venomous snakes face persecution that threatens their populations and the ecosystems they regulate.
Snakebite creates complex welfare considerations for both human victims and snakes. Human victims in low-income countries with limited antivenom access die or suffer permanent disfigurement from local tissue necrosis. Antivenom production requires captive venomous snakes that must be regularly milked, causing repeated acute stress responses. Improved synthetic antivenom production could reduce dependence on captive snake milking. Venomous snakes killed in persecution when they approach human habitation die by crude methods including machete blows and burning. Conservation messaging that emphasizes snakes ecological role in rodent control and their importance to ecosystems has shifted attitudes in some communities. Snake-proof housing and boot use reduce snakebite incidence while allowing coexistence.