Snake Catchers, Charmers and Relocation

Snakes are the subject of many myths, especially to do with religion in India. It is believed that some snakes are bad omens while others are worshiped. The Cobras have it the worst because there is just so much superstition surrounding them. The myths about Cobras are so absurd that they make you question basic common sense. Some examples: 

• Cobras take revenge on people who have seen them so they must be killed on sight. 
• Cobras can hypnotize humans and animals with their eyes. 

It is clear that such feats are impossible, even by an animal that is given so much cultural importance. Nonetheless, that doesn't stop certain people from exploiting the common man's disillusionment about snakes. 

The first thing that comes to mind is the notorious Snake Charmer. 

SNAKE CHARMERS

Any stereotypical portrayal of an Indian marketplace is incomplete without the infamous Snake Charmer and his "deadly" cobra. The masses are enthralled by the charmer's ability to put a dangerous and venomous animal into a trance with exotic music. If they knew the truth everyone would see Snake Charmers for the scumbags they are. Here is the truth:

• The cobras can't hear the Snake Charmer's music. They follow the movement of the flute and react to the vibrations created by the charmer tapping the floor.
• The cobras are about as dangerous as a newborn bunny rabbit. The charmers extract the venom (which they sell at high prices), remove the fangs (usually with regular blades or knives which cause a lot of pain and damage to the snake), and sew the mouth shut (with regular needles and string or wire).
• The cobras which they have are unable to get nutrition or medical aid so their lives are on a clock. The cobras usually die (due to mouth rot or starvation) agonizing deaths within 6 months of their procurement by the charmer. This happens because of infection in their mouths after the defanging and sewing process, after which they are fed milk (also another myth! SNAKES DON'T DRINK MILK!!) through a small gap left in the mouth.

The next question you may ask is- How do the snake charmers get their snakes if they need to replace them every 6 months? Who is providing them with an unlimited supply of snakes to sustain their cruel way of life?

The answer is SNAKE CATCHERS.

SNAKE CATCHERS

Yes. The neighborhood "hero" who comes to the "rescue" every time a snake is spotted in an urban area is the culprit. When asked what they are going to do with the snake after it is caught, the usual reply is "I will leave it in forest." Odds are he is not going to do that. 

Snake catchers are often guilty of the following:

• They sell cobras to snake charmers.
• They are involved illegally in the venom trade.
• They collect several snakes in their own houses. (in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 stating that no person can confine a wild animal without a permit)
• the most horrifying one- They sell the snakes to skin traders who make snakeskin bags and shoes out of the snakes.

RELOCATION

Not all snake catchers are like this. Many actually release the snakes in forests. This, however, is not the solution either. The snakes released in unfamiliar areas often try to get back to their home range and are killed in the process (by vehicles, humans or other animals). They come in conflict with the local wildlife of the area where they are released and this is a huge problem as snakes are highly territorial. 

Releasing a snake in some random habitat is like dropping a regular person in the middle of war-torn Afghanistan and asking them to survive.

The solution to the human-snake conflict is to live and let live. Humans and snakes can live side by side without conflict if a few precautions are taken. The truth is that snakes are very afraid of us and will avoid a confrontation if they can.

Preventing Snake Bites

Most people in India are terrified of snakes for a variety of reasons. Nearly 46,000 people in India die due to snake bites every year so this is justified. That being said, each of those bites could have been have been prevented by taking a few precautions. 

Statistics show that 39% of the people bitten by snakes were bitten while they were handling the animal or trying to kill it. 

The other 61% were bitten on their hands or feet by accident. Majority of these bites occur when people are walking barefoot outside when it's dark. Thus a large portion of the victims of snakebites are people living in rural areas.

The following precautions can be taken to prevent snakebites:

• Never try to handle or kill any snake. If the snake is trapped inside your house or something, call a professional to remove it. In any other situation, leave the snake alone and it will go away.
• Familiarize yourself with the dangerous species of snakes and maintain extra caution when near them.
• When walking outside in gardens or forests, always wear shoes.
• When walking at night, always carry a flashlight.
• When moving things such as haystacks, wood piles and debris which has been kept outside, maintain caution.
• Always keep snake anti-venom at home in case of an emergency. A single anti-venom is available in India which works on all venomous snakebites.                                              



Anti-venom available in India

My First Snake Capture

India has a plethora of snake species and these snakes come in contact with humans very often. The general reaction when people see a snake is fear. Some people immediately try to kill the snake while others respect it enough to give it some space. Being an animal lover, I am appalled by this first category of people. 

At the beginning of monsoon season in Bangalore, human-snake interactions are very frequent. One Spring 6 snakes were killed in 2 weeks, IN MY OWN COMMUNITY!

This was a wake up call for me. I immediately started finding out as much as I could about snakes and actively campaigning for their well-being. I learned how to identify the different species and studied basic capturing techniques. There are professional "snake catchers" that you can call to remove snakes from an area but most are shady. These guys are money minded so instead of releasing the snakes they catch, they sell them to snake charmers or sell their skins.

One day I was with my dog, Paws, in my backyard when Paws randomly started barking at one corner of the wall. There was a greenish-black snake moving on the ground! 

I had seen snakes near my house before but that was before I knew so much about them. My fear was replaced by excitement. I put a large bucket over it to prevent it from going into my neighbor's yard. I wanted to confirm that it wasn't a venomous species before I handled it and I confirmed that it was either a Rat Snake or a Keelback  -both harmless. I made a snake hook out of a coat hanger and a bamboo stick and went out to get the snake.

 

I caught the snake, with its tail in my left hand and its neck in the snake hook, and put it into a large empty garbage can. I inspected it further and found that it was a 3 foot long male. I didn't want to release it where I found it because it would find its way onto someone else's property and they would have it killed. I waited till my Dad came home and asked him what to do. He told me to release it outside the community, close to lake less than a kilometer from my house. We took the garbage can with the snake out of the gate and walked to the lake. I released it with the hook and watched it disappear into the undergrowth.

This incident inspired me to seriously think about snake conservation. Later, I had the honor of meeting Mr. Romulus Whitaker, the leading authority on Indian snakes. He told me that the relocation model wasn't the best one as snakes often traveled long distances to get back to their old territories. He said that the best thing to do is let the snake be where it is, if it isn't an immediate threat. The logic was that since snakes are afraid of humans, if it is unlucky enough to be seen once, it is unlikely to do it again. Mr. Whitaker told me that it was probable that the snake I had released came back to my house. 

I had 2 more encounters with wild snakes after this. I saw a 6 foot Rat Snake in my front yard and I decided to let it go. 2 months after that a cobra was cornered in my neighbor's house and they called a snake catcher to take it away. My neighbors were not ready to let it be and I wasn't allowed to handle it as it was venomous. I couldn't do anything but watch as the snake catcher caught it and took it away in a sack.