Now Reading: Seven snakes rescued from snake charmers ahead of Nagapanchami
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Seven snakes rescued from snake charmers ahead of Nagapanchami
Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS) and the Telangana Forest Department rescued seven snakes, including four Spectacled Cobras, from snake charmers in Hyderabad and Maheshwaram on August 14, ahead of Nagapanchami on August…
The Story in Brief
Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS) and the Telangana Forest Department rescued seven snakes, including four Spectacled Cobras, from snake charmers in Hyderabad and Maheshwaram on August 14, ahead of Nagapanchami on August 17. The snakes were taken for treatment and will be released in suitable habitats.
FOSS urged the public not to support snake charmers and warned that feeding milk to snakes can cause serious health problems as they do not naturally consume it. The Indian cobra is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, attracting up to seven years in prison and fines from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh for repeat offenders. Citizens can report illegal snake handling to the forest department or FOSS.
The Indian Opinion
The annual Nagapanchami rescue highlights two stubborn myths: that snakes enjoy milk and that snake charming is harmless tradition. Both are false. Snakes are lactose intolerant and the Wildlife Act treats charming as a crime. Yet year after year, the same rescue stories appear. The real test this year is not the number of snakes saved but the number of charmers actually prosecuted. Will the forest department file cases under Schedule I, or just release the snakes and move on?
Sources (2): telanganatoday.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
