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Sri Lanka Hosts Inaugural World Congress on Snakes, Drawing 500+ Global Experts
WHY IT MATTERS
The congress spotlights snakebite as a rising public‑health threat and positions Sri Lanka as a key center for research, conservation, and policy development in herpetology.
What happened
From October 1‑4, Kandy will host the first World Congress on Snakes (WCS 2026) at the Grand Kandyan Hotel, bringing together more than 500 delegates from 25 countries. The gathering will feature over 300 international scientists, ophiologists, and medical specialists, joined by 100 local researchers, to tackle snake biology, conservation, and the escalating global snakebite crisis.
Sri Lanka was chosen for its rich herpetofauna—112 snake species, 63 of which are endemic—making it a natural hub for such a conference. “This congress establishes Sri Lanka as the epicenter of global snake research and conservation policy,” said chairperson Anslem de Silva.
The event aims to elevate snake science within broader ecological and public‑health discussions.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Global experts gather in Sri Lanka for historic first World Congress on Snakes
Mongabay · Dilrukshi Handunnetti · Discovery and factual synthesis only; publisher copyright terms apply
CORRECTIONS & UPDATES
- Revision 1 · Initial ingestion · Sep 30, 2026, 5:30 PM
- Revision 2 · Source update detected · Sep 30, 2026, 5:30 PM