In an extraordinary incident, a 2-year-old girl from the village of Kantar, near Bingol, Turkey, was bitten on the lip by a snake while playing in her backyard on August 10, 2022. In a surprising act of retaliation, the toddler bit the snake back, which resulted in the snake’s death. Neighbors heard her screaming and rushed to her aid, finding her with a bite mark on her lip and the snake still between her teeth. She was then taken to Bingol Maternity and Children’s Hospital for treatment and observation and was reported to be recovering well after 24 hours.
The girl, identified only by her initials “S.E.,” had reportedly been playing with the snake before it bit her. Her father, Mehmet Ercan, who was at work at the time, expressed relief and gratitude, stating, “Allah has protected her, really. Our neighbors have told me that the snake was in the hand of my child, she was playing with it and then it bit her. Then she has bitten the snake back as a reaction.”
The species of the snake involved was not immediately identified, but given the girl’s recovery without severe complications, it’s likely it was not one of the venomous species found in Turkey. Turkey has 45 species of snakes, with 12 being venomous. This event serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of snake bites, particularly to children, who are more vulnerable due to their smaller body mass.
https://www.newsweek.com/toddler-snake-bite-kills-snake-1733553