Kerala's Forest Department's Initiative.

Lawyers, professors among 2,400 certified snake rescuers!

A lawyer by profession, he entertains two types of phone callers :-

  * Those who get in touch with him for legal advice and

  * Those who have sighted a snake and want it rescued.

The first are his bread and butter but he pays equal attention to the second group as he is one of the 2,400 rescuers in the state, trained and certified by the state department.

Since 2020, the department has been training those interested in rescuing snakes under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which bars such activity by unauthorised persons. The initiative followed several untoward incidents during rescues by untrained persons. In the past four years, the department has trained over 4,000 people. Of these, those exhibiting extreme proficiency were deemed as certified rescuers.

Among the 2,400-odd certified rescuers are more than 200 women, who regularly conduct rescue operations. As volunteers, these men and women stand out in their passion for handling snakes. "Snakes have fascinated me from childhood", says one. While studying Kathakali at Kerala Kalamandalam, he was suspended from the hostel for rearing a snake. Most of the volunteers have similar interesting anecdotes.

The assistant conservator of forests and state nodal officer of SARPA (Snake Awareness Rescue and Protection App) says that people from diverse backgrounds are opting for the training and enhanced public participation has increased the extent of rescue operations.

Number of snakes captured, over the years, across the state by rescuers trained by forest department

Species                                                    Year

                                               2021          2022            2023 

* King cobra                           54               81                82

* Indian rock python            1,159         1,768            2,568

* Spectacled cobra               1,537         2,797            3.428

* Others                                1,703         2,297            2,902

   Total                                  4,453         6,943            8,980

Courtesy.     AS Shan in the NIE

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.

Today happens to be :-

    * the 8th remembrance day of Lekha's dad by the Malayalam calendar

    * the 24th remembrance day of Bruno

Lekha goes to the Perunthatta Siva kshetram to offer a thila homam on her dad's memory.

The maid was at work but she left after lunch as she was going to collect a loan from the bank.