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Smitten by snakes
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The fear of snakes is baseless. On the contrary, they are fascinating creatures
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Photo: K. Ananthan
UNFOUNDED FEAR The vine snake is non-venomous
I have seen snakes a good number of times in the wild, and on every occasion I have been fascinated at how a limbless, sliding reptile can scare the daylights out of humans. I often think of what India’s snake man Romulus Earl Whitaker once sai
d: “Love them or hate them, snakes are just misunderstood.”
India is home to nearly 275 species of snakes. Interestingly, only four of them are venomous — the cobra, krait, Russell’s viper and the saw-scaled viper.
Which means most of the snakes we may encounter are harmless and non-venomous: from the rat snake to the Indian rock python.
So, what are we to do, when faced by a snake? “Nothing,” says Whitaker. “Snakes are least interested in human beings, and want nothing to do with them. Just stay out of their way, or wait for them to leave the place.” And, when do they bite? “When people accidentally stamp on them, particularly during dusk or dawn, or when they feel threatened.
What should one do if bitten by a snake? “No wasting time, no chanting the mantras. Rush to hospital at once. And, more importantly, symptoms of shock, such as cold sweat, faintness and nausea must not be mistaken for symptoms of poisoning,” says Whitaker.
But what if I find a snake in the kitchen or my backyard? “Call up the rescue team or the Forest Department.”
And, till they arrive? “Snakes usually find a dark or hidden corner. Do not disturb it. Instead, place a cardboard box with a hole, on it, and wait for the rescue team.”
As for the story that the vine snake targets the eye or the forehead, he says that it is it perhaps is a tale we all heard from our grandparents.
It is also very rare that pythons swallow human beings. “There have been three incidents in Malaysia, but not even a single case in India,” asserts Whitaker.
Romulus Whitaker’s “Common Indian Snakes: A Field Guide” published by Macmillan India Limited is a treasure trove of information on snakes.
W. SREELALITHA
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