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Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Mumbai records surge in snake sightings Cobras, vipers among 122 snakes rescued in two monsoon months
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.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Endangering wild animals being smuggled seized in CSMIA
Mumbai: The Airport Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs foiled two bids to smuggle wild animals via the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Thursday and Friday, and seized a haul of wild animals including meerkats, great billed parrots, moluccan parrots, sumatran striped rabbits. The seized animals belong to species that are listed as endangered as per the Convention on International Trade and Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act, said an official. Two international passengers were arrested in connection with the seizures. Box turtle A press note issued by Customs said, 'The officers at the airport recovered three meerkats (two alive and one dead), two great billed parrots or moluccan parrots, two Sumatran striped rabbits and an Indochinese box turtle from a passenger who flew in from Bangkok on Thursday. The passenger was arrested under the Wildlife protection Act, 1972 and Indian Customs Act.' In the second case, a person travelling from Bangkok to Mumbai on Friday was arrested when he was found smuggling two Sumatran striped rabbits (one dead), a dead great billed parrot and one Indochinese box turtle. The animals being smuggled into India were found concealed in a green-coloured trolley bag. Proceedings against the passenger have been initiated as per the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 read with Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the press note said. A wildlife rescue expert team from RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare) assisted the officials in ensuring the safety and stabilization of the animals, said Pawan Sharma, founder of RAWW. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau ordered the deportation of these rescued animals to the country from which they arrived, an official said.
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
22 Indian rock pythons hatched in artificial incubator
MUMBAI: On Tuesday, 22 eggs of the Indian rock python were hatched in an artificial incubator, almost a month after they were rescued from drainage pipelines in Vikhroli by Mumbai forest officials and volunteers of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). Indian rock pythons are generally found in some vegetation pockets around the city, mainly in Sanjay Gandhi National Park or its outskirts. On May 18, RAWW and the forest officials received a distress call from workers who were carrying out pre-monsoon cleaning off the Eastern Express Highway in Vikhroli. As the work was underway, the workers spotted a female python protecting her 22 eggs inside a drainage pipeline. 'No one touched the python, as the drainage line was attached to the highway. If it had moved, it would have caused a problem on the busy street,' said Pawan Sharma, founder of RAWW. Sharma said that the rescued Indian rock python then underwent medical tests. 'Once the veterinarian confirmed that it was healthy, we released it in its natural habitat,' he added. The location of the release remains undisclosed, as the Indian rock python is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and is at risk of being hunted or poached. After the release of the python, the eggs were handed over to the NGO by the forest officials and stored in an incubator at the RAWW office in Mulund. The incubator was fashioned out of a cardboard box and cushioned with activated charcoal, soil, coco peat (the inner fibre of a coconut) and fertilisers to create a suitable environment for the eggs. The incubator also had an attached digital thermometer to maintain the required 27 to 29 degrees Celsius and the humidity level. 'We would check the temperature every two days,' said Chinmay Joshi, zoologist, who overlooked the process of hatchlings. Indian rock pythons are generally found in some vegetation pockets around the city, mainly in Sanjay Gandhi National Park or its outskirts, Thane creek, and Tungareshwar Sanctuary in Vasai-Virar. 'During the monsoons, they tend to take shelter in drainage pipes, as these provide an ideal habitat where food is also easily available, and the temperature is easy to maintain,' said Joshi. Pythons are a species that can hunt anything from a small rabbit to a spotted deer by themselves. Of the 22 eggs, about six to seven hatched on Monday, while the rest hatched by Tuesday evening. 'The fitness of the eggs was determined when the python was rescued,' said Sharma. 'Once the veterinarian gives us the go-ahead, we will release the baby snakes into their natural habitat, given that these species have natural mechanisms to survive in the wild.'
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
AU team in Ladakh to study water scheme implementation
P rayagraj: A team of researchers from Allahabad University's department of geography is currently conducting a field survey in the remote and high-altitude regions of Ladakh. Led by associate professor Pawan Sharma , the study focuses on evaluating and strengthening the implementation of the govt of India's flagship Jal Jeevan Mission (Har Ghar Jal) in ecologically fragile and topographically difficult terrains. The initiative is part of a project sanctioned by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi. The Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide every rural household with a functional tap water connection, faces formidable obstacles in the Himalayan regions. The research team is closely examining ground-level realities, infrastructural bottlenecks, and traditional water practices in villages scattered across the high Himalayas. In these areas, extreme cold, limited oxygen availability, and poor connectivity severely impact both habitation and the feasibility of consistent development interventions. During their fieldwork near the Changla Pass, situated at an altitude of 17,688 feet, the team encountered life-threatening health emergencies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Urologists: What 90% Of Men With ED Don't Know (Start Doing This) health-paradise Learn More Undo Pawan Sharma, who is the project director, suffered a severe drop in oxygen saturation levels—below 55%—along with a high fever, necessitating urgent oxygen support. Another team member, Harnam Singh, developed symptoms of high-altitude sickness, including vomiting and chest pain. Despite these grave challenges and the limited availability of medical support in the region, the researchers showed remarkable grit, continuing their mission with the aid of portable oxygen cylinders and prescribed medication. The team has also been deeply engaging with local communities, including village water committees, tribal groups, and especially women, to gather nuanced insights into the actual functioning of the Jal Jeevan Mission on the ground. The findings indicate that in several villages, residents continue to rely on glacial melts, springs, and age-old storage tanks for water, with piped supply often proving inconsistent and seasonal. The research emphasises the significance of blending traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary water delivery mechanisms to achieve sustainable outcomes. The overarching objective of the study is to develop a policy framework that is context-sensitive and sustainable, aligning with the environmental, hydrological, and cultural specificities of the region. The focus is on integrating perennial traditional sources with piped infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted access to potable water in these high-altitude Himalayan settlements. "Our effort is not just to assess policy performance but to co-create a realistic and integrated model that considers the region's geographical challenges, local water wisdom, and community participation for long-term water sustainability in Ladakh," said Sharma. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
28-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Eggs found in drain, 5 monitorlizards brought to life in a box
Mumbai: Five monitor lizard babies were born in a plastic container which served as an artificial incubator. The eggs hatched nearly four months after they had been found in a drain. Municipal workers cleaning the drain in Mulund had found 10 eggs on Jan 26. Initially, it was not clear which species the eggs belonged to, said Pawan Sharma, president of Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), an NGO that works for animal welfare. "We guessed though that the eggs were of some reptile species," said Sharma who informed the forest department about the find in the drain. Forest officials asked the NGO to take custody of the eggs for artificial incubation. All 10 eggs were placed in a plastic container which had a bed of soil and powdered coconut husk. "This mixture has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties," said Chinmay Joshi, zoologist who kept a close watch on the eggs. To check if the eggs had life in them, the 'candling' process was used. "A flashlight of high-intensity luminosity was used to check this. If the eggs are fertile, they glow," Joshi said, adding that five of them had life within. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Eyelash Transformation For Older Women Prime Prometics Learn More Undo The temperature within the plastic contained had to be maintained between 27 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius while the humidity level had to be kept between 70% and 85%, Joshi said, adding that he would examine the eggs in the container every two or three days to ensure that all was well with the temperature and humidity. The spot in Mulund where the eggs had been found is located on the eastern fringe of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli. Typically, the mother lizard, going by natural instinct, leaves the eggs at a place which she perceives is most conducive for the eggs to hatch. The baby lizards wriggled to life some 114 days after the eggs had been placed in the environment, the closest it could come to what nature would have provided. The eggs hatched one by one, the last of the five on May 21. Five monitor lizard babies were found crawling inside the plastic container. All five were released into the wild, where they belong.
