More And More People Are Being Bitten by Exotic Snakes in The UK. Here's Why

The number of people getting bitten by exotic snakes in the UK is on the rise, and experts say it's because more people are keeping non-native snakes as pets.

A new study logs exotic snake bites on 300 different people over the course of a few years. Between 2004 and 2010 it averaged 22.

Records of snake bite inquiries to the National Poisons Information Service in the UK were used to collect the data. Enquiries about bites from the European adder, the only poisonous snake native to the UK, were not included in the figures used for this study.

David Warrell is a professor of tropical medicine at the University of Oxford in the UK.

The true number of exotic snake bite injuries may be underestimated due to the fact that some people may keep these snakes illegally.

There were 300 people affected, including 72 children. None of the children had serious injuries. The majority of the bites were to men.

15 people had serious injuries after being bitten. The tragic case of a reptile enthusiast who died after being bitten by a king cobra and had previously survived a bite from an eastern green mamba snake is one of those 15.

It's estimated that 1 in 100 households in the UK now own a pet snake, and the report is an indication of the risks that come along with keeping such an animal captive.

The chance of being bitten by an exotic, non-native snake in the UK is still remote, with bites typically occurring in those keeping such snakes as part of their occupation or hobby.

One person had the misfortune to be bitten three times, according to the report. More than 250 species of venomous snakes are considered medically important by the World Health Organization.

The bites came from different families of snakes, including hognose snakes, king snakes and false water cobras.

The NPIS provides expert advice and medical care in the UK to those who have suffered a snake bite, but the researchers say that those who choose to keep these animals as pets must accept the risk of being bitten.

The availability of appropriate anti-venom and rapid access to expert clinical advice are important considerations when accidents happen.

The research has appeared in a journal.