New Delhi: A team of a local Snake Helpline in Odisha’s Ganjam district rescued about 15 cobra snake-lets from a well and released them in the reserved forest on Monday morning.
“I got a call from Brahmapur saying that a woman saw some snakes in a well. We rescued 15 young cobras and safely released them in the reserved forest,” Swadesh Kumar Sahu from the Snake Helpline said.
The incident comes after an 8-foot long cobra was caught by a woman in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district about a month ago.
Sasmite Gochhait, and her husband, Akil Munda, were shocked to find their 2-year old crawling towards the reptile.
While Munda grabbed their child and pounced outside the window, Sasmite grabbed the snake and called the forest department. Range officer Krishna Gochhait helped her get rid of the snake.
Commonly found in the eastern parts of India, the Indian Cobra belongs to the Naga Genus of the Elapidae family. Also known as Spectacled Cobra, due to a distinct black pattern on its hood and poisonous fangs, these adaptable snakes thrive in habitats ranging from agricultural lands, wetlands, dense and open forests to urban areas.
Spectacled cobras can venture into towns and homes due to the increasing deforestation and lack of natural habitat. Snake charmers catch them to use them for money and other religious activities. The species is worshipped by some Hindu communities with milk and flowers offered during Nag Panchami and Naagula Chavithi.
Unlike other snakes, the Spectacled Cobra has one of the highest human interactions.
The other commonly found cobras in India include Monclocled or Indian Spitting Cobra, Forest Cobra, Caspian Cobra, Andaman Cobra, and the King Cobra.
(Avya Mathur)
