With the onset of monsoon and continuous rain, there has been an increase in the sighting of snakes in the Capital. The non-governmental organisation Wildlife SOS’s Rapid Response Unit has recently rescued four snakes in one day from different locations in Delhi.

The first snake, the Indian rock python was spotted at Sainik Farms. It was found lying motionless inside an abandoned building. On receiving the call, the team reached promptly and found the snake lying behind the refrigerator. After taking ample precautions, the team removed the 6-foot-long python without causing it any stress.

In another incident, the NGO was alerted about the presence of an Indian cobra aka spectacled cobra from Amrita Shergill Marg near Lodhi Garden. The reptile which was five-foot-long was found coiled up in a bush inside the garden of a residence.

The team took time to plan the rescue operation as cobra is a venomous snake and was lying in a dense bush, making its removal from there difficult and risky. It took rescuers 30 minutes to safely secure the cobra and ensure its well-being.

The NGO also rescued an Indian rat snake from the Grand Hotel in Vasant Kunj and a baby Black-headed royal snake from Daryaganj on the same day.

All the four rescued snakes are at present under observation and will be soon released once they are declared fit.

Talking about these incidents, Wasim Akram, Deputy Director- Special Projects, Wildlife SOS said: “There is always a lingering fear of reptiles, but due to the rescue work carried out by our team, locals have become more aware of the presence of snakes. They enquire by themselves about a particular species, to know if that snake is venomous or not. These rescue and awareness efforts go hand-in-hand, and have brought down unnecessary snake mortality.”