The Forest Department on Monday published an operational manual for certified snake rescuers.
Titled Effective Human-Snake Conflict Management and Mitigation- An Operation Manual for Certified Snake Rescuers, it aims to regulate the growing instances of human-snake conflicts in a better manner.
Human-snake conflicts are said to be the highest by volume when compared to conflicts with species such as tigers, leopards, elephants, and bears, combined.
Every day across the country, lakhs of individuals and families encounter snakes in their daily lives, especially farmers.
More than 10 lakh cases of snakebite are reported in the country, making India the snakebite capital of the world.
Speaking at the launch of the guidelines, Vijaykumar Gogi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said: “These guidelines and certification programmes to follow are the need of the hour in the State. Recognising the need for this, we have invited eminent herpetologists such as Romulus Whitaker, Gerard Martin, and Sumanth Bindumadhav to draft these guidelines after conducting the required consultation with various other snake rescuers in the State as well. We will launch this programme systematically with the intention of recognising, validating, and certifying all well intentioned rescuers in the State soon and set an example for other States”.
Mr. Martin, founder-trustee at The Liana Trust and the co-author of the guidelines, said: ”Human-snake conflict has a much higher cost to life and limb than all other human-wildlife conflicts in India combined. However, it is one that can be solved with large-scale education and the introduction of effective practices. Snake rescuers have the potential to be catalysts for this change. This manual is the first step in the Karnataka Forest Department’s efforts to bring about positive and effective change in this field”.
