On a normal day, but a not-so-normal scenario, the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit operating out of Srinagar rescued a 6-feet-long Himalayan Trinket snake from Buchwara situated in the Zabarwan Forest Range. The snake is currently under observation and will soon be released into its natural habitat once deemed fit.
On Tuesday, what appeared to be a normal day for a Srinagar family turned out to be surprisingly unusual as they got a visitor in the form of a Himalayan Trinket snake in their house. Concerned for their safety, they immediately contacted Wildlife SOS on its 24×7 emergency rescue helpline (+91 70066 92300, +91 94197 78280) for assistance.
Upon reaching the location, the NGO’s Rapid Response Unit found the non-venomous snake hidden in the thick foliage of the backyard lawn. Geared with the necessary rescue equipment, the team then safely extricated the 6-foot-long snake from the lawn. The reptile is currently under observation and will be released back into the wild once declared fit.
Aaliya Mir, Education Officer and Programme Head- Jammu & Kashmir, Wildlife SOS informed, “The residents of the household were quite shocked to find such a large snake in their garden. But our timely arrival and assistance gave them assurance. We are glad that they informed us in time and we were ultimately able to rescue the snake unharmed.”
Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS said, “There is a misplaced fear about snakes. But our continuous work to create and spread awareness about these misunderstood animals has helped change the negative perspective people have about them. This incident serves as a perfect example of this change.”
The Himalayan Trinket snake (Orthriophis hodgsonii) is found in north India, spread across the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, northern West Bengal, Sikkim and Meghalaya. It is a non-venomous snake species which remains understudied and has not yet been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. However, anthropogenic activities such as rapid urbanisation, shrinking of natural water resources inside protected areas and lack of awareness among locals are some of the threats which can impact the population of this snake.
For info & pics, contact /WhatsApp Arinita Ph. 9560011875 / emailnews@wildlifesos.org
Wildlife SOS (WSOS) is a non-profit charity established in 1998 with the primary objective of rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in distress across India. We actively run wildlife and nature protection projects to promote conservation, and combat poaching & illegal wildlife trade. We work in partnership with the Government and indigenous communities to create sustainable, alternative livelihoods for erstwhile poacher communities.
