THE ASIAN AGE (New Delhi, India) 04 September 05 Poisonous snakes need love too (Akshaya Kumar Sahoo)
Bhubaneswar: An Utkal University doctoral scholar and his friends have brought about a change in this city’s attitude towards snakes. Care and sympathy have replaced fear of the reptile thanks to the campaign by Sarpa Surakshaya Abjijana, run by Pratyush Mohapatra.
Illustrating this change was an incident on Tuesday night. A speeding biker on national highway 5 at Palasuni in this city ran over a baby cobra. Seriously injured in the tail, it couldn’t slither away. Unlike at other times, the crowd that gathered at the spot didn’t kill the snake. Instead, someone called up Mr Mohapatra, who rode to the spot and took it away for treatment even though it was close to midnight.
Mr Mohapatra and his friends, who formed a snake rescue team three years ago, have worked hard to create awareness among the people about snakes and demystify myths about the reptile. "We should not fear snakes. Like us, they also want love and care. They may carry deadly venom, but they do not bite unless attacked or hurt by others," said Mr Mohapatra.
Launched in 2002 as a non-government organisation, the helpline is run by five members, many of whom started catching snakes as a hobby. Apart from Mr Mohapatra, who got his PhD in zoology for his work on snakes in Orissa, the helpline’s members are Subhendu Mallick, an MSc student at the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Shiva Prasad Parida, doctoral researcher in zoology, Ashok Kumar Mallick, MPhil student in zoology, and Cuckoo Mohapatra, an MSc student in zoology. Cuckoo is the only female member of the team.
"We tell the people about first aid, what they should do or shouldn’t do after snakebites," Mr Mohapatra adds. "We advise people to rush to a hospital after a snakebite instead of approaching temple priests," adds Mr Shiva Parida.
"We work towards removing misconceptions about snakes. Some people believe that if they kill a snake, its partner will kill them in revenge," said Mr Mohapatra. According to him, snake charmers propagate myths about snakes to make money.
On an average, the group receives two to three calls every day, even from remote areas of Bhubaneswar. Mr Mohapatra says there is no magic mantra to catch snakes. It requires some courage, some technique and a love for snakes. The helpline has obtained permission from the state forest department to release rescued snakes into their natural habitat.
Mr Mohapatra said the group wanted to set up a rehabilitation centre for ailing snakes. But funds have been a major constraint. The helpline offers free services but gets no support from the government or the private sector.
Poisonous snakes need love too