Mumbai records surge in snake sightings Cobras, vipers among 122 snakes rescued in two monsoon months

Indian Express

2 days ago

In the first two months of monsoon this year, Mumbai recorded a surge in snake sightings with as many 122 snakes being rescued from various residential and commercial areas in Mumbai between June 1 and July 25. The snakes are being rescued jointly by the state forest department and Resqink Association of Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) following SOS calls.
Data also shows that 266 snakes were rescued this year between January 1 and July 25. Out of the total snakes rescued, 86 are Indian rat snakes, which is the most common non-venomous snake in India, while 49 are spectacled cobra which is the most common venomous snake in the country.
Speaking to the Indian Express, Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden and founder of RAWW, said that both these species of snakes mostly feed on rodents. He also said that most of the sightings were in drains and garbage bins. Considering both housing societies and commercial zones have open garbage bins and open drainages, it becomes easy for the reptiles to find a place for hiding.
'In a city like Mumbai, these snakes are almost everywhere right from drainages in residential and commercial spaces to open spaces and public gardens. Our inability to control edible waste and rodent population leads to natural predators like rat snakes and cobras coming into action. Now with non-stop supply of prey and lack of natural predators like mongoose, raptors, etc, the snake population is flourishing,' Sharma said.
Some other species that are rescued by the authorities include 26 Indian rock pythons, 25 Russel's vipers, 21 chequered keelbacks and 16 long nosed whip snakes.
However, the number of snake rescue operations that were recorded this year is marginally low compared to the past five years. According to the data shared by RAWW, 153 snakes were rescued between June 1 and July 25, last year, while in 2023, 123 snakes were rescued during this same period, a total of 211 snakes were rescued during this period in 2022, 189 in 2021 and 208 in 2020.
However, Sharma also said that the drop in numbers doesn't indicate that the snake population is falling in Mumbai.
'Every distress call that is reported may not lead to a successful rescue. Many times snakes escape before our rescue teams reach the spot. These snakes are used to being within the urban habitat and people are usually willing to coexist with snakes, especially when they know that they are non-venomous in nature,' Sharma added.
After the snakes are rescued, they are released in their natural habitat after medical assessment. In many cases, rescued eggs are also artificially incubated to ensure the hatchlings are not lost. In June this year, 22 eggs that were rescued along with a rock python were successfully hatched artificially, following which the hatchlings were released in their natural habitat.