Kandy to host first ‘World Congress on Snakes’ in October covering snake biology and human interaction By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Worshipped in a few countries, they have been reviled in most others since time immemorial, with the serpent being dubbed the vile tempter offering the forbidden fruit in the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. They [...]
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Worshipped in a few countries, they have been reviled in most others since time immemorial, with the serpent being dubbed the vile tempter offering the forbidden fruit in the Biblical story of Adam and Eve.
They are also feared due to terrifying movies such as ‘Anaconda’; Greek mythological tales of Medusa with a swirling mass of snakes adorning her head; and the mesmerising gaze of the beautiful cobra on Pharoah Tutankhamun’s gold funerary mask! Even the common rat snake ( garadiya ), though harmless is shooed away from Sri Lankan gardens by spraying kerosene around.
That is set to change with Sri Lanka, a global biodiversity hotspot, having the honour of hosting the first global conference on snakes from October 1 – 4 up in Kandy, with experts both local and international converging there.
Focusing on snake research, conservation and public health including snakebite management, the ‘World Congress on Snakes 2026 – Snakes, Science, Species Survival & Sri Lanka’ has an interesting masthead. On one side is the depiction of a nagaraksha mask prominently displaying the huge peney (hood) of a cobra and on the other, the head of a pala polonga with its divided tongue in explorative mode.
The congress will revolve around three major themes – sea snakes; vipers; and other snakes (colubrids, cobras & kraits et al).
As the countdown begins for the congress, well-known herpetologist Dr. Anslem de Silva looks back at early 2024, when he was in touch with Dr. Julie Ray from the United States of America (USA), who was organising small conferences, online and physical, about snakes. Around mid-2024, he had suggested to her that the First World Congress on Snakes be held in Sri Lanka and she had welcomed this idea.
Subsequently, Dr. de Silva had contacted Dr. Daniel Natusch, Chair of the Snake Specialists Group of IUCN/SSC (International Union for Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commission), who too had been thrilled with the suggestion.
To the query: ‘Why Sri Lanka?’ Dr. de Silva says that it is in recognition of the country’s unique biodiversity as well as its deep cultural and ecological relationship with snakes. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kandy has been chosen as the venue as it is the ‘gateway’ to some of the island’s most important rainforest ecosystems.
Having mooted the congress, much activity has followed with the Founding Partners being Dr. de Silva who is Chair for South Asia of the Snake Specialists Group; Dr. Ray (from the US) and Dr. Natusch (from Australia).
The 10-member International Scientific Committee of eminent experts comprises Prof. Aaron Bauer (US), Prof. Rick Shine (Australia), Prof. Indraneil Das (Borneo), Prof. Walter Erdelen (Germany), Prof. Bartosz Borczyk (Poland), Dr. Sanjay Molur (India), Dr. Pritipal Soorae (Abu Dhabi), María Elena Barragán-Paladines (Ecuador), Dr. Naoual Oukkache (Morocco) and Dr. Muhammad Rais (Pakistan).
Researcher Dr. Nimal Rathnayake has come on board as Secretary General, with the Executive Committee consisting of Dr. Kanishka Ukuwela and Suranjan Karunarathna, in addition to Dr. de Silva (Congress Chairperson) and Dr. Rathnayake. The task of event organiser has been taken on by CDC Events & Travels (Pvt) Ltd, represented by CEO/Managing Director, Imran Hassan.
Come October, with a packed programme, expectations are high about participation – where attendees would be able to rub shoulders with leading ophiologists (scientists who specialize in the study of snakes); herpetologists (scientists who specialize in the study of amphibians and reptiles); public health professionals; medical researchers; veterinarians; conservationists; policymakers; and wildlife enthusiasts & environmental organisations.
At the media conference announcing the congress (from left): CDC Events CEO Imran Hassan; Grand Kandyan Hotel GM Thusitha Samaraweera; congress Secretary General Dr. Nimal D. Rathnayake; congress Chairperson Dr. Anslem de Silva; Kandy Mayor Chandrasiri Wijenayake; and congress Executive Committee members Dr. Kanishka Ukuwela & Suranjan Karunarathna
As the first international gathering dedicated exclusively to snake research, conservation and education, it will provide an opportunity for international collaborations, sharing of cutting-edge research and developing innovative solutions for the challenges facing snake populations and humans worldwide.
Moving away from lectures, there will also be an auction of books and souvenirs as well as a post-congress tour to one of Sri Lanka’s spectacular beauty-spots, the Knuckles ecosystem.
The other activities include oral presentations, among which will be one on sea snakes by 14-year-old Alosha; poster presentations and a sale of snake paintings by famous animal artist Jayantha Jinasena.
(For more information, please access: worldsnakes26.com)
The scientific scope and themes of the ‘World Congress on Snakes 2026’ have been designed as an interdisciplinary scientific forum linking biodiversity science, medicine and society, states a media release, explaining that the programme covers 12 major thematic areas that collectively address every dimension of snake biology and human interaction.
The nine scheduled plenary speakers covering conservation science, clinical medicine and wildlife management are:
The congress will also underscore the link between conservation and public safety as snakes play an essential ecological role in controlling rodent populations and maintaining agricultural balance. However, habitat destruction, illegal wildlife trade and fear-based killing threaten both biodiversity and ecosystem stability, the release said, adding that the sessions will also explore evolution, taxonomy and classification of snake species, natural history and ecological behaviour, anatomical and physiological adaptations and cutting-edge genetic and genomic research.
Sri Lanka is home to 112 snakes, with 45 being native species and 67 endemic species, says Dr. Anslem de Silva. They are:
Pala polonga or Green Pit Viper depicted in the congress masthead . Photos courtesy of Dr. Anslem de Silva
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