3,240 snakes rescued last year

Over 3,000 snakes were rescued in the city in 2014. This was stated by Friends of Snakes Society who released their Annual Activity Report on Saturday. Excerpts from the report show that 3,240 snakes and 111 wild birds and animals were rescued in the previous.

For the organisation, this number could be interpreted as the number of snakes that were saved from being killed and the number of snake bite related accidents averted. On the same breath, this number also indicates the number of animals displaced due to human activities including land clearances.

Of the total snakes rescued, the highest encountered species was Spectacled Cobra, with 1531 specimens, amounting to 47.25 per cent of the total rescued snakes. The second most common species was the Rat Snake with 1,026 specimens rescued in 2014, which amounts to 31.67 per cent of the total rescued snakes.

52.75 per cent of the snakes were venomous. In 2013, 2,575 snakes were rescued. In just one year, there has been a significant increase of 25.83 per cent and this drastic increase is attributed to habitat destruction.Currently, the Friends of Snakes Society is able to respond to snake related emergencies in Adilabad, Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Mahabubnagar, Medak, Nizamabad and Ranga Reddy.

The government’s enthusiasm in preserving the State’s environment and biodiversity and dorest department's constant support motivates them to accelerate their work to all the districts of Telangana and conserve snakes on a wider platform.