A new study has uncovered an interesting consequence of climate change that we probably didn’t immediately think of. Examining reports of hospitalizations in Georgia, USA, the team found evidence of an increase in snake poisoning cases associated with an increase in average daily temperature.
With the World Health Organization (WHO – WHO) reporting nearly 5 million snake bites worldwide, these are now classified as a high priority, neglected tropical disease. “We don’t know much about how the weather—meaning short-term changes in meteorology—drives human-snake interactions, partly because so many dangerous snake bites occur where good data on the causes of illness and death are lacking,” said Noah Scovronik, study lead and health and environmental scientist at Emory University.
The data focused on the state of Georgia, home to 17 venomous snake species, with one of the highest snake diversity and densities in the United States. Over the 7-year study period, the team found that a 1°C increase in same-day maximum temperature was associated with a 5.6 percent increase in the likelihood of being bitten by a venomous snake and a 5.8 percent increase in the odds of being bitten by a nonvenomous snake, with the strongest association occurring in the spring.
Data from the Georgia Hospital Association reviewed all emergency department (AS) visits to the state between 2014 and 2020, and analyzed cases of venomous snake bites, nonvenomous snake bites, and poisoning by other species for use in the study.
Snake physiology is speculated to play a role, although researchers are cautious about making any definitive conclusions about this association. Snakes and other reptiles, ectotherm (cold-blooded) creatures, use outside temperatures to control their internal biological functions, with some species entering a hibernation-like period during the winter.
The study shows that these functions are affected by climate change. Increased emergency room visits in the spring and fall show that higher temperatures help species wake up earlier in the spring and stay awake longer in the fall, which makes humans more likely to encounter snakes in the wild.
“As human development in Georgia and particularly the Atlanta area expands rapidly, human-snake encounters will continue to increase and are already increasing,” says Lawrence Wilson, co-author of the study and Emory University herpetologist. “Almost everyone who spends a lot of time outdoors has encountered a copperhead rattlesnake or other venomous snake.”
Wilson continues his explanation by stating that education is the key factor in reducing the likelihood of adverse encounters with poisonous species. “If you let people know which habitats snakes prefer, such as places with dense vegetation, they may be wary of such habitats. Snakes and humans, even venomous snakes, can live harmoniously as long as we respect and understand their habitat and needs.”
Because the study’s findings are unique to Georgia, further research in different populations will be required to investigate how these temperature changes might affect different snake species in different climates.
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