EXPRESS INDIA (New Delhi) 21 September 06 Rare python rescued
Chandigargh: A rare python, over nine feet long and weighing 15 kgs, was rescued from the Sirhind Canal in Rupnagar and was handed over to the Chhatbir zoo by the Punjab Wild Life Department here today.
Talking to Newsline, DFO Ropar Parveen Kumar said,‘‘The python was rescued by a five-member wildlife team from near the old Sirhind Canal bridge in Rupnagar. It was rescued at 9 pm yesterday. It took one-and-a-half hours to rescue the snake from the canal. This snake was on the bank in the cold canal water. The python was first spotted by one Amarjit Singh, who is a Range Officer of the Forest Department. He informed me and then a team was sent immediately.’’
‘‘The snake specialist who caught this python is not on the payrolls of the department but is called from time to time for such operations. The snake was kept in a gunny bag with holes so that light could reach it and the bag was kept in the Rupnagar wildlife office in safe custody,’’ he added.
‘‘In the evening today it was transported to Chattbir zoo after taking sanction from the Chief Wildlife Warden of Punjab, Swaran Singh. As per Central Zoo Authority rules no wild animals can be kept in the zoo.
Only the injured wild animals that need to be looked after can be kept in the zoo and they have to be released after they recuperate,’’ said Kumar.
He said while talking to Newline, ‘‘The zoo at present only has a female python and this is male python, thus a pair has been formed. This is Schedule I animal, as rare as tiger.
Last month two monitor lizards which were three feet long were caught in two different operations from Phase-X, Mohali, and were released in the wild. These were also Schedule I animals which had strayed in the urban areas.’’
Rare python rescued