MADIKERI: A cobra that was injured after getting stuck on a fishing road was rescued and rehabilitated following the efforts of an expert conservationist and a snake rescuer. The incident was reported in Harangi limits of Kushalnagar taluk in Kodagu.
Nearly a month ago, a resident of Harangi, Mehaboob, went fishing in the Harangi backwater. He had tied a frog as bait onto the fishing rod. However, he did not find a catch on that particular day and returned home. The frog was tied to the fishing rod and the rod was kept outside his house. Unfortunately, a cobra that was prowling by the house fell for the bait. The snake was hanging by the fishing rod – injured and in pain. Mehaboob immediately called a local snake rescuer MA Abdul Gaffar.
“I tried unhooking the snake from the rod but the hook was stuck deep inside the cobra. I used different methods, but all failed. I later contacted several veterinary doctors in the district, but they were unable to help due to the lack of facilities and expertise in the field,” explained Abdul. He later contacted Snake Shyam’s son Surya Keerthi on social media and collected his number.
Abdul then shifted the cobra into a perforated plastic container and after seeking help from several bus drivers he shifted the cobra in an Airavat bus to Mysuru. The same was collected by conservationist Surya Keerthi who contacted Dr Abhilash and removed the fishing hook from inside the snake scientifically.
Surya Keerthi then arrived in the district with the cobra (treated and in good health) and it has now been rehabilitated in a forest area in the district.