Snakebite kills an estimated 138,000 people annually and causes 400,000 serious injuries. Improving human-snake conflict responses benefits both human safety and snake welfare, since snakes are frequently killed out of fear.
Human-snake conflict results in welfare harms on both sides. Snakes killed out of fear may die through beating, cutting, or burning, causing significant suffering. Even non-venomous species are routinely killed due to fear and misidentification. Snakes relocated from human areas may be dumped in unfamiliar habitats where they struggle to establish territories or find food. Captive snakes used for antivenom production are typically kept in barren conditions with inadequate environmental enrichment. Improving community education about snake ecology, coexistence strategies, and first aid protocols simultaneously reduces human injury and snake persecution, representing a rare intervention with cross-species welfare benefits.