Snake rescuers (Photo | Express Illustration)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A lawyer by occupation, Jayadevan J entertains two sorts of telephone callers: Those who get in contact with him for authorized recommendation and those that have sighted a snake and need it rescued. The first part types his bread and butter, however Jayadevan pays equal consideration to the second group as he is among the 2,400 snake rescuers within the state skilled and authorized by the forest division.
Since 2020, the division has been coaching these fascinated about rescuing snakes beneath the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which bars such exercise by unauthorised individuals. The initiative adopted a number of untoward incidents throughout rescues by untrained individuals.
In the previous 4 years, the division has skilled over 4,000 individuals. Of these, these exhibiting excessive proficiency had been deemed as licensed rescuers.
Among the two,400-odd licensed rescuers are greater than 200 ladies, who often conduct rescue operations. As volunteers, these women and men stand out of their ardour for dealing with snakes.
“Snakes have fascinated me from childhood,” says Jayadevan. While finding out kathakali at Kerala Kalamandalam, he was suspended from the hostel for rearing a snake. Most of the volunteers have related fascinating anecdotes.
According to Y Mohammed Anwar, assistant conservator of forests and state nodal officer of the Sarpa (Snake Awareness Rescue and Protection) app, individuals from numerous backgrounds are choosing the coaching and enhanced public participation has elevated the extent of rescue operations.
Saving slithering souls
Number of snakes captured, over the years, throughout the state by rescuers skilled by forest division
Loads of takers for forest dept’s coaching programme
“We have had trainees from all walks of life, including medical college professors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and even housewives. There are a lot of takers for our training programme and that has impacted the way rescue operations are carried out,” Anwar stated.
The efficacy of the initiative could be gauged from the truth that the variety of snakes rescued in 2023 rose to eight,980, a twofold enhance from 4,453 in 2021.
The coaching covers classes on ecology of snakes, their behaviour, identification marks, chew traits, dos and don’ts whereas dealing with, moreover theoretical classes.
