creating a sense of conflict since there is a real
potential for fatalities to occur due to snake bite. The
people are scared and want snakes out of their houses
and out of their sight. This situation provides us with
an excellent opportunity to work with and assist the
local people, while also sensitizing them to wildlife
and the importance of snakes in the overall
ecosystem.
This project comprises a team led by Ajay and Kumar;
they have a widespread network and their phone
numbers have been disseminated to every village via
posters and leaflets. If a snake gets into someone’s
house, they can call Ajay and he instructs them on
what to do. This basically consists of remaining calm
and staying away from the snake, whilst also keeping
an eye on its whereabouts. Ajay is on site as soon as
possible and rescues the snake using a hook and a
snake bag. The distance covered is often 50-60
kilometres.
‘The rescue team works
with the locals and
engages them in
awareness programs.’
The whole process is conducted professionally, and
the utmost care is taken when handling the snake, in
order to minimize stress. If the snake is a King Cobra
it is examined and weighed, and then held by the team
while a PIT tag (Passive Infrared Transponder) is
implanted near the tail. This allows us to identify the
snake if encountered again. Thus far, over 80 King
Cobras have been implanted, and several have been
recaptured. In this way the PIT tags allow us to
determine population density of the King Cobras
using a mark-recapture framework.
During the rescue, Ajay and team work with the locals
and engage them in awareness programs. They advise
them on dos and don’ts and elaborate on the
importance of King Cobras as apex predators. One of
the things we impress upon people in order to avoid
snakes getting into their houses is not to have flower-
pots, fuel-wood, hay or other items piled up near the
walls of their homes. These could serve as refuge for a
rat snake trying to escape the pursuit of a King Cobra.
If the King Cobra loses the scent trail of its quarry, it
may end up inside the house, particularly if startled
by stray dogs or cattle. At the conclusion of the aware-
ness program, the snake is taken (in the presence of a
forestry department official) and released nearby,
within a one-kilometre radius.
1.
2.
’F2’ snacks on a pit viper. Image by Yash Rathee.
More than 80 King Cobras have been captured and
implanted with PIT tags during rescue call-outs. Image
by John Henry.
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