The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Operation Cobra Rescue in Sriperumbudur

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Operation Cobra Rescue in Sriperumbudur

By P. Oppili

The rescued cobras. — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI, AUG. 27. Wildlife officials rescued 32 newborn cobras along with their `mother' and a male cobra from a factory in Sriperumbudur in Kancheepuram district yesterday.

According to K.S.S.V.P. Reddy, Wildlife Warden, Chennai, the department received information from the factory management that a family of cobras had been sighted on the premises, which they wanted released into a natural forest area.

A team of Irula snake trans-locaters along with K.S. Sathyamoorthy, Range Officer, located the snakes and brought them to the city. The young ones were born only 10 days ago, said wildlife authorities.

``Normally we get calls from residential areas to rescue one or two snakes at the maximum. But, it is for the first time we received a call to rescue such a huge number of reptiles,'' Mr Reddy said.

Similarly, on seeing a reptile, people tend to attack it or even kill it out of fear. But, in this case the factory authorities immediately contacted the wildlife officials and requested them to take away the reptiles.

Mr. Sathyamoorthy said the mother snake was ferocious an in an agitated mood.

Even the trans-locaters were careful while handling `her', he said. The young ones were also found to be in an agitated mood.

The authorities have decided to release 10 of the rescued snakes into the Guindy National Park, another 10 in Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, and the remaining in forest areas of Tiruvallur district.

Wildlife authorities have appealed to people to contact the Headquarters Range Office (Wildlife) at 22200335 if they spot snakes in their home or outside.

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