Page 15 - Jan-Mar 2019

VOL. 16 No. 1
Snake in the City! Did You Know?

According to the Wildlife Protection
Human-snake encounters are common in some regions, but Act 1972, capturing, killing, poisoning or
not because snakes are coming into our homes. In fact, we are trapping of wild animals is prohibited.
invading their habitats, clearing forests for building purposes, Read more about this act to understand
how it protects snakes.
hence compelling them to come into conflict with us. S. Tharun, X M, Padma Seshadari Bala
Bhavan, Chennai

rePtiLe reScuerS SAVe YOurSeLF And tHe SnAKe!

India Snake Rescue Network (ISRN) If you ever find a snake in your house or in your
neighbourhood, never kill it! Killing or handling a
Every year, 45000 people die because
of snake attacks in India, leading snake is a punishable offence.
to human-snake conflict. The • Be careful while clearing vegetation, dry leaves
ISRN addresses these problems. and twigs in your garden.
Rescuers work towards • If your shoes have been kept out for a while, check
generating awareness about before wearing them.
snakes. Wildlife Trust of India Illustration by: Ritik Goyal, VII F , • Keep your surroundings free of solid waste.
(WTI) and International Fund for DAV Public School, Faridabad • Make sure your area is as rodent free as possible, as
Animal Welfare (IFAW) conduct rodents attract snakes.
regional workshop on mitigating this conflict in North- • If you see a snake, do nothing. Step away and let it
East India. Gandhinagar based group of snakes rescuers go. Do not try to pick it up or kill it.
have developed an app for snake lovers to educate • Do not purchase products made of snake skin.
people about the reptiles and are ensured these are • Find out about the forest department or
rescued successfully. professional snake rescue helpline of your area.
Call them if you encounter a snake.
Paavai A, VII, Riverside Public School, Kotagiri; K. Jahnavi, VII A,
gitanjali devakul, Hyderabad Bidisha Mukherjee, IX A, dAV Public School, Sec-14, faridabad

We LOVe SnAKeS

SnAKe MAn OF indiA SnAKe MAn OF KerALA SnAKe educAtOr
Romulus Whitaker, Vava Suresh is Kaisar Hussain has been rescuing
the acclaimed known as ‘The snakes for over six years. He used to
herpetologist and Snake Man’ of see people being scared of snakes
conservationist Kerala. He is and killing them out of fear. He
has worked a resident of therefore felt it was important to
extensively with Sr eek ar y am educate the people about snakes.
reptiles and is town in Kerala’s P.V. Varnika, Vi C, glazebrooke Public school,
called the Snake Man of India. Thiruvananthapuram district. He salem
Devoting his life to reptiles, he developed a fascination for snakes
established the first Indian snake when he was 12 years old. He
park in Chennai in 1972. Apart rescues snakes in and around the
from his detailed work on King area whenever he is called for. He
Cobra, Romulus Whitaker also has been bitten by snakes 3701
worked with the Irula tribe and times and has been hospitalized
helped them get involved in anti- several times too.
venom production. The Padma Thanusree Manoj, VI, Bhavan’s Adarsha
Shri awardee, Romulus Whitaker, Vidyalaya, Kakkanad, Kochi
also has an Indian Boa snake specie
named after him — Eryx Whitakeri!

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