Janaki’s enthralling account of the
capture (and more of the Irulas in the
Everglades) go to:
https://www.firstpost.com/living/
floridas-war-on-pythons-has-a-new-
key-player-the-irula-of-tamil-nadu-
3218324.html
Frank Mazzotti, from the University
of Florida, leads a team of research-
ers concerned with the python
problem in the Everglades.
Commenting of the performance of
the two tribesmen, he noted, “They
excel at determining if pythons are
present at a site. The rest of us are
wondering where the snake is – the
next thing we see they are holding
it.”
In July 2016, the same two Irula
tribesmen had travelled to Thailand
to assist researchers implant radio
transmitters in King Cobras.
A Preternatural Talent.
I am fortunate to have had some
personal experience of the Irulas’
extraordinary snake catching talents.
Late last year, whilst visiting Rom
and Janaki near Mahabalipuram, I
went on a short ‘snake hunt’ with a
couple of Irula tribesmen (both of
whom, incidentally, were ‘Raj’ or
kings!). Along with Arul, a zoo
educator who works at the Madras
Crocodile Bank, and a couple of
visiting Indian herpers, we headed
across the road from the Croc Bank
to a large area of wasteland that
comprised a patchwork of swampy
terrain, remnant vegetation and
Soon afterwards, we found a male
Oriental Garden Lizard (or Eastern
Garden Lizard, Calotes versicolour)
vigorously pursuing a female. The
male was resplendent in breeding
garb of brilliant reds and yellows – I
don’t think I have seen a more
beautiful lizard. Oriental Garden
Lizards are common across much of
Asia, and have been introduced else-
where, including the United States.
They are often found in bushes, and
‘The Irulas excavated burrows
first with crowbars and then with
bare hands .’
poorly-tended fields. Both of the
Irulas carried their trademark
machetes and short crowbars, which
were used for digging in the sandy
soil. Arul told me of their almost
preternatural ability to find snakes,
and was certain they would unearth
something of interest. Almost
immediately, we came across a large
yellowish keelback in a shallow
irrigation ditch, but somehow it
managed to elude us.
although they are related to iguanas,
they are able to move each eye
independently of each other, like
chameleons. In Sri Lanka, they are
misleading referred to as
‘bloodsuckers’, possibly because
their throats turn bright red during
the breeding season.
The Irulas had moved off, and whilst
the rest of us were content to make
the most of rough paths atop the
1.