From a Rat snake showing up in a police station to an Indian rock python seeking respite from the heat in a bathroom, over twelve reptiles have been rescued in past week.

Sharing details about rescue operation, Wildlife SOS shared that in one particular incident, the rising heat in the city drove a six-foot-long Rat Snake straight to the refuge of a police station in Bhajanpura. “As police officers noticed the snake’s tail emerging between the hinges of a door, they immediately contacted the NGO’s rescue team on their helpline number (+91-9871963535) and requested for assistance,”  a member of rescue team said.

Donning protective gear, the rescuers quickly and efficiently extracted the large snake and had it safely nestled in a transport carrier, earning the praise of the police officers! In another close call, the Wildlife SOS team rushed to the rescue of a five-feet-long Indian Rock Python that was found in the bathroom of a house in Sainik Farms.

Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO  Co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said, “We would like to thank the Delhi Police officers for reaching out to us immediately. The rise in temperature is driving reptiles to seek respite from the heat in cooler spaces. The last few weeks have shown us people’s compassion towards urban wildlife and we are truly grateful for the chance to be able to make a difference!”

In the past week, a Monitor Lizard was also rescued from a school in Shakarpur, Delhi and another monitor lizard was found in a home in Ghaziabad. The rescued reptiles were later safely released into their natural habitats.

Wasim Akram, Deputy Director - Special Projects, Wildlife SOS, said, “In the past week alone, we have rescued more than 12 reptiles and the number is still on a rise. Rescues range from that of extremely venomous snakes like the cobra and common krait, to relatively harmless and non-venomous ones like the sand boa, wolf snake and rat snake.”

As the lockdown is being lifted across the country and people are emerging on the streets, it is extremely imperative to keep in mind that the wild animals getting used to empty spaces in urban habitats are going to continue exploring them. Wildlife SOS is consistently working towards changing people’s attitude and sensitizing the public to the presence of urban wildlife and how we can help keep the conflict at a minimum.