The Last Fatal Snake Bite in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is home to 52 species of snakes: 46 land snakes and 6 sea snakes. Among the land snakes native to Hong Kong, some species, such as the Chinese cobra and the king cobra, pack a lethal punch. Yet, every year, it is the white-lipped viper, also known as the bamboo pit viper, that is responsible—by far—for the majority of the approximately 100 snakebites recorded in Hong Kong annually.

However, thanks to the state-of-the-art healthcare system in Hong Kong and the close proximity of hospitals to country parks—where snakebites are most likely to occur—fatal bites are extremely rare. So rare, in fact, that the last deadly snakebite in the city dates back to 1988—almost forty years ago!

So, which species was responsible for this last fatal bite? The sad truth is that this bite was the result of a series of unfortunate events that should not have been possible. The species in question is the highly venomous Russell’s viper, a snake commonly found in India and Southeast Asia, but which does not live in Hong Kong.

Moreover, that specific specimen was illegally imported into Hong Kong from China. As a result, because this species is not native to Hong Kong, there was simply no antivenom available on the territory. The victim, unfortunately, was doomed the moment he was bitten.