Preference for Habitat Contiguity: Geographical Characterization of Snake Bite Envenomation in Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract Introduction: The sub-tropical districts of Himachal Pradesh, India, have considerable environmental diversity with high-temperature areas, semi-arid hills, and rivulets, thereby making these areas conducive for the snake population to thrive. This study was conducted to geographically characterize snake bite envenomation in the sub-tropical climate zone of the state. Materials and Methods: The data collected from three districts of the state, as a part of the multi-centric study on the incidence of snake bite cases in India funded by the India Council of Medical Research was used for the study purpose. Results: Data from 650 snake bite cases available with the authors were analyzed for the study. The analysis captured a geographical trail that extended from Bhattiyat in the Chamba district to the Amb region in the Una district and Indora in Kangra, pointing to topographic similarities present in these areas favorable for the snakes to thrive. Conclusion: Snakes are nonuniformly distributed across geographical areas, however, the analysis points to a preference for habitat contiguity among snakes suggesting a need for a risk-based approach contextualized to local settings for mitigation.