The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : 1,100 vipers caught in 9 days

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Sunday, Oct 01, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

1,100 vipers caught in 9 days

P. Oppili

They are commonly known as `Suruttai Virians' in Tamil

CHENNAI : They are among the `Big Four' and the very mention of this reptile species will scare away anyone.

They are saw-scaled vipers, one of the four poisonous snake varieties found in the State along with the Russel's Viper and the Common Krait.

The Irula Snake Catchers Industrial Co-operative Society (ISCICS) this time around has trapped nearly 1,100 saw-scaled vipers in a span of nine days in various parts of Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts. The Society is the only organisation in the State, which is involved in making anti-venom for which the State Forest Department has authorised it to catch poisonous snakes found near human habitats.

S. Dravida Mani, secretary, ISCICS, said the number of snakes they caught this year so far has crossed 5,000, more than three times the 1,500 serpents captured last year.

The saw-scaled vipers will grow to 12 inches in length. These tiny reptiles sporting sandy colours are found in dry areas in the State. And they are commonly known as `Suruttai Virians' in Tamil.

On many occasions, the villagers have accidentally trodden on this tiny snake, provoking the reptile to bite. The bite will prove fatal if not attended to immediately, said Mr. Mani. Some, who survive the viper's bite, develop renal failure at a later stage, he warned.

As a protective measure, the Irulas in the Society always chew a few herbal medicines before they go on `capturing' job. Until a few years ago all the four serpent species were found in the city and its suburbs, recalls V. Kalaiarasan, State Director of World Wide Fund for Nature — India. But, today the saw-scaled vipers are a rare sight as their habitats have lost out to the developed ones.

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