CHENNAI: A four-and-a-half feet long Russell’s Viper was rescued from a street in Anakaputhur on Sunday. The viper was spotted by a resident, who mistook it to be a python.
“We got a call from a resident who reported sighting a python in his area. When I asked him for more details, he said the snake was moving very fast. We immediately rushed to the spot and caught the snake,” said Dawn Williams of the Blue Cross.
Usually found in agricultural fields, this large and heavy bodied snake is very fast and aggressive by nature, and contributes to the maximum snake bite casualities in the world. One can seldom survive its bite, and even if they do, the haemorrhagic toxins in its venom can lead to renal failure and muscle paralysis.
“We have rescued vipers in the past here, as it is surrounded by a forest area, but people tend to misjudge the snake. Had we not reached on time, the viper could have created quite a chaos,” added Dawn. The snake has been handed over to the Vandalur zoo authorities.