A turtle, which had become a plaything for a few slum children, was rescued by five activists of the student’s wing of Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) Mumbai. However, by the time the activists reached the spot, the children had caused serious damage to one of its eyes.
The turtle is at present being treated by activists of PAWS, who will hand it over to a forest range officer later this week.
It was on Saturday that the activists received a phone call from an anonymous person stating a few kids in Bhandup were seen playing with the reptile. The caller said the kids were trying to force the turtle to swim in a drain.
Five student activists of PAWS — Nisha Kunju, an MBA student, Vishnu Nair and Priti Yadav, Std VIII students of Bright English High School, Shilpa Gupta, a Std VII student of National English High School and Hitesh Yadav of NES Sunbeam School, immediately rushed to the spot.
“The slum children were dragging the turtle all over the street with a string attached to one of its legs. They had covered the turtle with stone and mud, some of which entered its eye. As we called out to the kids, they let go of the string and disappeared from sight,” said Shilpa.
“On close inspection, we saw a deep injury in its left eye. We immediately informed the forest range officer. We are taking care of the turtle and getting it treated. Once it gets well, we will hand it over to the forest officer or release it inside a well situated in the compound of forest range office at Amar Nagar in Mulund Colony,” said Nisha.
Sunish Subramanian, secretary of PAWS, Mumbai, said children usually tend to be unaware of the harm they may be causing an animal, “We are creating awareness among school and college students about plants and animals. We allow school students to be a part of PAWS as it helps to sensitise them towards the environment and living creatures,” said Subramanian.
Finally, after two months of investigations, the police have arrested Robert, the owner of the horses which fell to their death from the Andheri flyover on June 14. He has been charged with cruelty to the animals.
A Mumbai-based NGO, PAWS-Mumbai, that is the complainant in the case, has alleged that it had provided all evidence to the Andheri police, which pointed to the owner as being responsible for the death of the horses, but even then it took more than two months to nab the accused.
It may be recalled that on June 14, at around 2.45 pm, eye-witness saw two horses tumble from the Andheri flyover. Interestingly, no one informed the police of the incident. However, a Mumbai-based NGO, on learning of the incident, took the initiative and filed a complaint at the Andheri Police Station.
It later became known that Robert had buried one horse, while the other was admitted to the Parel’s Animal Hospital where it died because of the injuries suffered in the fall.
With the police remaining largely inactive, the NGO went to the Animal Welfare Board which then wrote to the Mumbai Police Commissioner insisting on an enquiry in the matter. The police had to finally nab Robert from his Andheri residence.
Sunish Subramanian, head of NGO said, “It is a big win for our team.”
According to A.A. Sonawane, Investigation officer, from Andheri Police station, “After investigation we found that Robert was responsible for death of both horses and have arrested him under Section 11A (1)(2) of Prevention of Cruelty of Animal Act, 1960.”
Snakes seeking out drier hiding places in residential places in the rains, has become an annual event
With the onset of rainfall, animal activists are flooded with distress calls to get rid of snakes in their homes. This year has been no different. Snake-rescuers across the suburbs are being flooded with calls on being jolted out of their wits, when they see a snake huddled in their apartments.
“There’s been a large number of snake sightings this year. We rescued a five-and-half feet spectacled cobra from a society compound in Malad Station area,” says snake-rescuer Rajendra Koli from Madh village. “I get rescue calls almost every second day from areas like Marve, Eksar in Borivali, and as far as Wadala too,” he adds. It’s an annual event, quip snakes-rescuers. Flooding of the snake burrows force the snakes to seek out drier hiding places, thus straying as far as the residential areas.
“Last week, we rescued a four-and-a-half feet long rat snake from MIDC compound in Andheri East. It was spotted roaming freely in the compound,” informs Sunish Subramanian, Secretary of Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Mumbai. In fact, in the last 45 days, they have rescued around 50 snakes from various areas such as Powai, MIDC in Andheri East, Aarey Colony in Goregaon and Malad.
Some of the snakes rescued from the residential areas, include Spectacled Cobra, Rat Snake, Russell’s Viper, Saw-Scaled Viper, Checkered Keelback, Buff-Striped Keelback, Banded Kukri Snake, Common Wolf Snake, Common Sand Boa, Indian Rock Python and Common Indian Krait. A few days ago, a rat snake was found cuddled up outside one of the homes in Govind Nagar, Malad East.
Says snake-rescuer Niranjan Karnad from Mahindra Nagar in Malad East, who rescued the snake, “Snake had taken shelter outside the house in a corner, where a lot of scrap material was lying for many days. We rescued it, and then released it back in the forest. Many people do not know how to react on spotting a snake. Their immediate instinct is to kill the reptile. That is dangerous, as the snake will sting back in self-defence.”
Snake-rescuers opine that people need to take preventive measures to keep reptiles away from the residential areas. “Clear all the debris, garbage and unkempt bushes in your area, as it is an ideal hiding place for snakes,” concurs Karnad.
Mumbai: This Nag Panchami, animal welfare activists were happy to note that there were no snake charmers to be seen on Mumbai’s roads. Nag Panchami was on July 26.
“This is good news. It shows that snake charmers are now afraid of coming into Bombay with snakes. They know it’s illegal,” says Sunish Subramanian, of the Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai, which combed the areas of Bhandup, Thane, Kalwa, Mumbra, Andheri and CST for snake charmers.
Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, it is illegal to keep or display snakes. Till about 10 or 15 years ago, over a 100 snakes were rescued each year in Mumbai during Nag Panchami.
There has been a steady decline in the last five years. “In the last two years we have caught just one or two snakes during the festival,” says Subramanian.
Snake rescuers say this is due to heightened awareness. “People know that it is illegal when snake charmers display snakes. Many are also aware of the cruelty involved,” says Dr Dinesh Vinherkar, a veterinarian and snake expert who works with In Defence of Animals, an animal welfare group.
Snakes that are caught for display have their fangs broken and mouths stitched.
“They are not mammals and don’t drink the milk offered. This is a myth. The milk can go into their lungs and choke them. If it dries up, it forms bacteria and blocks their nostrils. This combined with the haldi and kumkum applied on its head can cause infection to the snake,” says Dr Vinherkar, who along with four of his colleagues patrolled the route from Dadar to Santacruz on Nag Panchami but found no snake charmers.
“People now realise if they worship a real snake they are doing it a disservice,” adds Dr Vinherkar.
Many snake charmers have now turned to using clay and metal snake idols and seem to attract as many devotees.
“One woman who for years used to sit with real snakes in Mulund, now has a big metal idol she displays,” says Subramanian.
On Naag Panchami day today, ensure that these reptiles that are so part of our culture, don't perish, due to our blind faith by worshipping them symbolically
Next time if you see a snake being offered milk, parched pulses and a few coins, don't be surprised if the snake left the coins for his master. Experts in the field inform a snake neither has sharp vision nor does it hear, and consumes food merely out of extended days of hunger.
Animal welfare organisers plead to all devotees to worship the Naag devta symbolically
Says naturalist Vijay Awsare, “A snake-charmer will keep a snake hungry and thirsty for days together. A cobra for example, will stand tall when the lid of the casket is lifted, as it craves for fresh air. On being offered milk, that many believe is a snake’s favourite food, the reptile is only quenching its thirst without realising what it is drinking. Snakes lack the sense of distinguishing one food from another. The only liquid they can identify is water, and that too is not sharp as snakes have a poor vision.”
States Neelam Khere, Director, Katraj Snake Park, Pune, “Milk was never in the snake’s food chain. In Hindu culture, milk and milk products are offered to almost all deities. And, since we consider cobras to be our God, they too are offered milk.
However, people need to understand that milk is dangerous to the snake’s health, as a snake’s body cannot digest milk. When a snake drinks milk thinking it to be water, they vomit out everything that they consume, and end up purging out other vital body fluids, making them dehydrated. Snake-charmers or those rescuing snakes don’t realise this, when they delay their release, and as a result the snake dies.
“Five years ago, the government had revealed a huge figure of 80, 000 snakes that met death on Naag Panchami. Fortunately, though the death rate of snakes has dropped, the survey to show the exact figures is yet to be carried out. Drop in the death rate is due to awareness that various animal welfare NGOs have created in the city. However, there are still stringent steps to be taken to curb the practice of snake-charmers completely.”
Take on snakes Animal welfare organisation PAWS, Plants and Animals Welfare Society have found through studies that the ancient scripts do not mention worship of live snakes, as it is done these days. This practice has led to capturing of thousands of cobras, rat snakes, pythons, boas.
Snakes, mostly cobras, are kept hungry and thirsty for days before the annual festival of Mahashivratri and Naag Panchami. Even boas are treated horribly. Snake-charmers make ‘eyes and a mouth’ burning holes in their tails with a match and putting hot wax in those holes to show two heads. They are de-fanged and their venom glands are punctured. In this condition, the snake cannot take any solid food, and is forced to drink the milk offered to it ‘religiously’.
Snakes choke, as the milk gets filled up in their lungs. Snakes are not adapted to drink or digest milk in the wild. Milk is a secretion given out from the mammary glands only in mammals and not in reptiles. A snake would not have any knowledge about milk, and would certainly not drink it. Most snakes we ‘worship’ die due to our blind faith. In the last few years, various animal welfare organisations have created awareness to save snakes and to worship the snake symbolically and refrain from patronising snake-charmers.
As per Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, it is a crime to catch snakes or any other wildlife and use them for business or even own them. As per Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, ill-treatment and maiming of snakes and other animals is prohibited.
Save the snakes This year too, PAWS-Mumbai will hold a rescue and first-aid service on Naag Panchami, and there after too. Besides rescuing and giving first-aid to the snakes, PAWS will release them into natural habitat of the forest under the supervision of forest staff. This year Naag Panchami is being celebrated today, and if you come across any snake charmers or incidents of live snake worship near or inside a temple, then PAWS requests to give them a call on their helpline numbers 9892179542 / 9833480388.
Significance of Shravan The month of Shravan marks the beginning of the festival season and Naag Panchami, this year, today, on July 26, marks the onset of the festival of the Snake God. The fifth day of the waxing phase of the moon, Shravan shuddh panchami, is dedicated to the Snake God, when serpents are worshipped and offered milk, portraying the symbiotic relationship the farmer shares with the world of reptiles. Symbolically, the Snake God is always seen as an ornament around the neck of Lord Shiva. So, the festival also has mythological importance.
City . Monday, August 17, 2009 . Page 9
A turtle, which had become a plaything for a few slum children, was rescued by five activists of the student’s wing of Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) Mumbai. However, by the time the activists reached the spot, the children had caused serious damage to one of its eyes.
