Global Eco Watch: 1.2 million Indians died of snake bites
in last 20 years
Down To Earth brings you the top
happenings in the world of global ecology
Last Updated: Saturday 11 July 2020
1.2 million Indians were killed in the last 20 years due
to snake bites mostly involving Russell's Vipers, Kraits and Cobras. Photo:
Wikimedia Commons
A total
of 1.2 million Indians died from snake bites in the last 20 years, according to
a new study published
recently.
Half of
the victims were between 30 and 69 years of age while a quarter were children.
Half of the deaths happened in the summer monsoon between June and September
and most of the victims were bit on the legs.
Most of
the deaths happened because people could not access swift medical care.
Between
2001 and 2014, 70 per cent of the snake bite deaths occurred in the states of
Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh
(including Telangana) Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The snake
species most responsible were Russell’s vipers, kraits and cobras.
The study
was published in the journal eLife. It was based on data
collected from India’s Million Death Study.
Unesco designates 15 new geoparks in Asia, Europe, and Latin
America
Unesco’s
executive board has approved the designation of 15 new UNESCO Global Geoparks,
which brings the number of sites participating in the Global Geoparks Network
to 162 in 44 countries. The executive board also approved the extension of the
Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark in Turkey.
UNESCO
Global Geoparks were designated for the first time in Nicaragua, the Russian
Federation and Serbia.
The newly
designated Geoparks are:
- Cliffs of Fundy UNESCO
Global Geopark (Canada)
- Discovery UNESCO Global
Geopark (Canada)
- Xiangxi UNESCO Global
Geopark (China)
- Zhangye UNESCO Global
Geopark (China)
- Lauhanvuori-Hämeenkangas
UNESCO Global Geopark (Finland)
- Toba Caldera UNESCO Global
Geopark (Indonesia)
- Rio Coco UNESCO Global
Geopark (Nicaragua)
- Estrela UNESCO Global Geopark
(Portugal)
- Hantangang River UNESCO
Global Geopark (Republic of Korea)
- Yangan-Tau UNESCO Global
Geopark (Russian Federation)
- Djerdap UNESCO Global
Geopark (Serbia)
- Granada UNESCO Global
Geopark (Spain)
- Maestrazgo UNESCO Global
Geopark (Spain)
- The Black Country UNESCO
Global Geopark (United Kingdom)
- Dak Nong UNESCO Global
Geopark (Viet Nam)
- Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global
Geopark (Turkey) (Extended)
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