EDITORIAL 1: Why so many ‘snake rescuers’ across India get bitten on the job
Context
Deepak Mahawar, a well-known snake rescuer from Guna, Madhya Pradesh, died on July 14 after being bitten by a cobra he had draped around his neck in a viral video.
Shortcut to fame, riches
- The irrational loathing for snakes — ophidiophobia — common among the masses is matched only by their reverence for snake rescuers (read handlers).
- Unsurprisingly, “snake stunts” provide a path to instant visibility on social media, enabling influencers to rack up follower counts and as a result, enjoy big payouts.
- They tease snakes for viewership, even stage rescues. One video, for example, shows cobras (predator) and rat snakes (prey) together in a well. Shifting wild animals like that amounts to hunting under the Wildlife Act.
Free for all industry
- Few states have specific regulations for snake rescue, that is, relocating a snake from a place where it poses a risk to people.
- Fewer are in a position to enforce those rules since forest officers often rely on volunteers to answer frequent rescue calls. There are just too many cases to attend to, particularly during the rainy season.
- In 2018, Maharashtra issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for snake rescues, mandating training and documentation.
- Kerala made certification mandatory for snake rescuers in 2020, followed by Gujarat in 2021, Karnataka in 2022, and Odisha in 2023.
- So far, however, only Kerala with its technology-enabled, real-time response system — the SARPA App — has succeeded in keeping a tab on certified rescuers and blacklisting some of the unethical ones.
A high risk job
- Even while playing by the book, snake rescue is a high risk job.
- Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus) : Of the four most venomous snakes of India, collectively referred to as the Big Four and responsible for a majority of snakebite deaths in the country, the krait (Bungarus caeruleus) is probably the easiest to handle. Known for its deadly neurotoxins, it can spring the occasional surprise but is usually docile, particularly in the daytime.
- Indian cobra (Naja naja): The cobra (Naja naja) tends to follow the rescuer’s movement, giving a fair indication of where it is headed. Not aggressive unless hassled, the roaring snake is capable of striking from a considerable distance. It usually contracts its hood — a visual cue — before lunging to strike.
- Vipers, on the other hand, are often aggressive without much provocation: there is no telling how they might behave.
- Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus): Lightning fast, the saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) is under 3 feet, and has a way of warning an adversary by rubbing parts of its body together, creating a “sawing” sound.
- Russel’s viper (Daboia russelii): The muscular Russel’s viper (Daboia russelii) can grow to double the length of the saw-scaled viper, and poses the biggest challenge for rescuers. It resembles a mighty helix poised to explode, and can reach up to 1.5 metres in a flash.
Doing it right
- A simple snake hook and a pipe-necked sack are the best tools for rescuing a snake.
- These enable rescuers to lead the creature to a burrow-like opening, relying on its natural tendency to enter a dark space.
- Ideally, rescuers should not need to touch the animal at any stage. Teasing, displays and stunts with snakes are punishable under the Wildlife Act.
Snake deaths
- While the availability of anti-venoms have improved, many rescuers bitten by snakes die during treatment.
- Typically, a snake is agitated during a rescue and likely to deliver a higher quantity of venom if it gets an opportunity to bite.
- Most of these rescuers are under 40, with limited education, and from a modest background. Many of them are the sole earners in the family, some have young kids. They fail to appreciate the risk they take.
Conclusion
A stiff penalty for filming and posting rescue videos will disincentivise the stuntmen and leave only the serious rescuers to do the job. This is a vital service in a country where 40-50,000 people die of snakebite every year.