A five-foot-long checkered keelback, also known as an Asiatic water snake, was spotted at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence on Thursday, sending security officals into a tizzy. The snake was eventually rescued after officials alerted Wildlife SOS, news agency PTI reported.
Security personnel spotted the non-venomous snake near the guard room and notified Wildlife SOS, an NGO dedicated to wildlife conservation and protection.
A two-person NGO team rescued the distressed snake that had taken refuge between wooden panels.
“On Thursday morning, security personnel were shocked to stumble upon a checkered keelback snake on the premises of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s bungalow in New Delhi. On spotting the reptile near the guard room, they immediately alerted Wildlife SOS on its 24×7 helpline number 9871963535,” Wildlife SOS said, PTI reported.
“Geared with rescue equipment, a two-member rescue team rushed to the snake’s aid. Meanwhile, the snake had made its way inside a gap between the wooden panels around the guard room,” the official added further.
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Checkered keelback is primarily found in water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and ponds, as well as drains, agricultural lands, and wells. Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 protects the species.
“We are grateful to the security personnel working in the Union Home Minister’s residence for alerting Wildlife SOS to this emergency. This shows a high level of compassion on their part and sets an example for others to follow. Often the plight of urban wildlife is dismissed because people consider them to be a nuisance and they are often met with hostility,” Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS said, PTI reported.
During the monsoon season, over 70 snakes were rescued from various parts of Delhi.
Snakes and other insects live in deep burrows beneath the soil. The temperature of a snake’s body is determined by the temperature of its surroundings. Soil protects them from extreme heat and cold. When it rains, the burrows fill with water, and the snakes emerge to seek dry shelter and protection from the rain or storms.
(With Inputs From PTI)