169 snakes rescued in Forest department

HYDERABAD: As many as 169 snakes rescued from snake charmers by the AP Anti-Poaching Squad and wildlife NGOs will be set free on Monday at the Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary in Adilabad.Since the Naga Panchami festival on August 2, six kinds of snake species have been rescued in Hyderabad and Rangareddy district by the Forest department with help of NGOs like Friends of Snakes Club and Bharatiya Prani Mitra Sangh.The 169 snakes include 54 endangered venomous spectacle cobras, 12 black cobras, patched sand boa, rat-snakes, banded-racer and red sand boa.Anti-poaching squad officer M Raja Ramana Reddy said possessing or hurting wild species in any form, is a non-bailable offence under the Wildlife Act.AP chief wildlife warden Hitesh Malhotra said, “We have given proper treatment to snakes, most of which were badly injured by charmers and ordered the forest range officers to release them at the Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary in Adilabad.” Many of the cobras badly injured with their fangs removed and venom sacks damaged.The snakes were weak and starved and mouths of many snakes stitched to prevent them from biting.All snakes were given proper treatment by veterinary doctors, said Mahesh Agarwal, a member of BPMS.He added that devotees bring snakes to their homes and perform poojas during Naga Panchami.“After capturing the snakes, charmers violently remove their fangs, pierce the venom sacks with hot needles and keep them starving in small containers for months.As they are starved, snakes consume the milk offered to them though it is not their natural diet.This kind of torture often proves fatal to snakes,” said Mahesh.