Russell’s Viper: Features, Habitat and Conservation Status

Context: Researchers have found that two existing drugs, varespladib and marimastat, can effectively treat Russell’s viper bites, which cause many deaths in India.

About Russell’s Viper

• Scientific Name: Daboia russelii
• Named After: Patrick Russell, Scottish herpetologist
• Family: Viperidae (highly venomous)
• One of the “Big Four” deadliest snakes in India
  (Others: Common krait, Indian cobra, Saw-scaled viper)
• Major cause of snakebite deaths in India and South Asia
• Found in: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Taiwan, Indonesia

Habitat

• Prefers open grassy/bushy areas, scrub jungles, farmland, and plantations
• Avoids dense forests
• Often found near humans due to rodent prey and farmland presence
• Bites usually occur accidentally; they do not actively attack

Behavior & Features

• Mostly nocturnal and sedentary
• Grows up to 5 meters
• Identified by reddish-brown spots with black-white outlines
• Triangular head, small vertical-pupil eyes, and overlapping scales
• Becomes active at dusk

Danger

• Fatalities are often due to delayed treatment
• Venom affects blood coagulation and the kidneys

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern

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