Russell’s Viper Rescued in Tezpur: Forest Department Advised to House in Zoo to Prevent Breeding

Tezpur: A Russell’s Viper snake , known to be one of the most venomous snakes in the world, was rescued on Friday in Bihuguri, Tezpur. Sarpa Babdhab Saurav Borkakati handed the snake over to the forest department. According to reports, Dhrubajyoti Baruah first spotted the snake in a field near the army camp in Bihuguri on Friday morning. Unsure if it was a baby python or a Russell’s viper, Baruah recorded a video and sent it to Saurav Borkakati, who confirmed it was a Russell’s Viper and promptly went to the site to rescue it.

Post-rescue, Saurav Borkakati advised that the snake should be kept in a zoo to prevent it from breeding in the wild, as increased population could impact human-inhabited areas.

Notably, in 2023, Borkakati had also rescued a Russell’s Viper in the same region. Tragically, a child named Tanmoi Keot was bitten and became the first recorded death from a Russell’s Viper bite in Assam.

 Borkakati mentioned that apart from Bihuguri in Tezpur, Bongaigaon, and Chirang, no other areas in Assam have confirmed the presence of Russell’s Vipers. In 2016 and 2023, three individuals in Bongaigaon were bitten but recovered with antivenom treatment. He emphasized that immediate medical attention and minimal movement of the bitten area are crucial for recovery.

In 2019, Saurav Borkakati documented the presence of Russell’s Vipers in Sonitpur through video evidence. In November 2023, a 13-year-old child, Tanmoi Keot, died from a Viper bite.

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