KOCHI: Handling a venomous serpent that lunges forward at lightning speed is no child’s play. The hissing sound and the flickering of the forked tongues can send a chill down the spine. If you nurture a passion for snake catching, then this is an invite for you.The Kerala Forest Department will hold a two-day training session in all districts for those interested in rescuing snakes, in the second week of October.
The candidates will be selected through a screening process and will be provided certificates post the session. They will also be authorised to rescue snakes and release them in the wild. The applications should be submitted to the assistant conservator of forest (ACF) of the respective district before September 20.
“We are looking for people who are experienced in snake catching. The department has recently provided training to 318 forest staffers. As we receive a lot of calls regarding snake menace, especially during monsoon, we decided to provide training to volunteers who can assist the department. They will be trained in catching snakes without harming it or suffering a bite,” said ACF Mohammed Anwar, who is in charge of the training programme. The decision to train volunteers comes in the backdrop of illegal sale of snakes and the death of a snake catcher due to a bite recently. Kerala will be the first state to offer such a training to snake catchers.
To avoid misuse of the certificate, the department will be monitoring the activities of the snake catchers. “The aim is to end illegal activities and ensure the safety of the people who rescue the snakes. We will ensure that all rescued snakes are released in the wild,” he said.
The department has also developed a mobile app to monitor the activities of the snake catchers. It will have data regarding the hospitals that provide anti-venom treatment and the user can identify the nearest hospital with the facility. The availability of anti-venom at these hospitals can also be confirmed through the app.“Though we have a special task force to rescue reptiles in each district, we are not able to respond to all calls in time due to limitations. The selected candidates will be given hands-on training in safe snake catching,” said Ernakulam ACF A Jayamadhavan.