A five-foot-long Indian rat snake, which was stranded in the aftermath of a fire in a waste collection unit in Sector-63, Noida was rescued on Thursday. Wildlife SOS officials said that the snake sustained minor burns on its mouth and body and is undergoing treatment at the conservation non-profit’s facility. According to an official, after spotting the snake stuck in the fire at the waste collection unit, a local resident contacted Wildlife SOS on its 24-hour rescue helpline, following which the rapid response unit reached the location and safely extricated the injured snake.
“Veterinary experts at the NGO are currently attending to the snake’s injuries. The snake has been given topical medication with the help of ointments and it will remain under medical observation until it is declared fit to be released into the wild,” said the official.
Anil Chaudhary, the caller said, “When I reached the spot, the fire was already extinguished. That is when I spotted the snake lying there with minor burns near its mouth, and decided to call Wildlife SOS. I am really thankful to the work Wildlife SOS is doing.”
Kartick Satyanarayan, the Co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, said that a large part of this rescue operation was possible because concerned citizens took the onus upon themselves. “This incident is reassuring and a good sign of the change we are trying to bring through our work,” he said.
“The citizens of Delhi-NCR are becoming more aware and compassionate about reptiles and urban wildlife. The initial reaction to spotting a snake is usually that of fear, which is why it is met with a lot of hostility and even killed.
But in this case, we are happy to see such prompt action from the locals and their efforts to understand these reptiles, rather than fearing them,” said Wasim Akram, the Deputy Director of Special Projects, Wildlife SOS.