Ethnoherpetology and snakebites in a risk area in Northeast Brazil

Background Ethnozoology comprehends human interactions with animals, including their knowledge, meaning, and use by societies. In this sense and from the point of view of the human relationship with snakes, this study had the objectives to describe and analyse the level of Ethnozoological knowledge of snakebite accident victims in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil. Methods The accident records were accessed through case notifications registered in the SINAN between 2007 and 2016 in the Borborema Potiguar Microregion of Rio Grande do Norte State, specifically in the municipality of Santa Cruz, which was identified as a risk area. An effort was made to locate the snakebite accident victims during this period. Next, a semi-structured questionnaire was applied through an interview to identify the characteristics of the accident, record the victim’s perception of the snake and the accident, their daily life, as well as positive and negative attitudes towards snake conservation and knowledge about species. Information about the possible uses of traditional treatment, allopathic care characteristics along with the symptoms and sequelae resulting from the accident were also recorded. Results The most relevant characteristics detected in these accidents were the strong influence of myths about traditional treatment and the knowledge about identifying common snake species in the region. No perception was detected about the importance of these animals, but there were negative attitudes when finding a snake, thus constituting facts which may be related to the deficiency in the education level of this population which is interfering in environmental and public health issues. Conclusion Work on improving the knowledge and local perception could subsidize actions and policies aimed to prevent accidents, demystify snakes and contribute to the conservation of the species.