The Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit operating out of Srinagar rescued a 6-foot-long Himalayan Trinket snake from Buchwara situated in the Zabarwan Forest Range.
The snake is currently under observation and will soon be released into its natural habitat once deemed fit.
On Tuesday, what appeared to be a normal day for a Srinagar family turned out to be surprisingly unusual as they got a visitor in the form of a Himalayan Trinket snake in their house. Concerned for their safety, they immediately contacted Wildlife SOS on its emergency rescue helpline for assistance.
Upon reaching the location, the NGO’s Rapid Response Unit found the non-venomous snake hidden in the thick foliage of the backyard lawn. Geared with the necessary rescue equipment, the team then safely extricated the 6-foot-long snake from the lawn. The reptile is currently under observation and will be released back into the wild once declared fit.
The Himalayan Trinket snake (Orthriophis hodgsonii) is found in north India, spread across the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, northern West Bengal, Sikkim and Meghalaya. It is a non-venomous snake species which remains understudied and has not yet been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. However, anthropogenic activities such as rapid urbanisation, shrinking of natural water resources inside protected areas and lack of awareness among locals are some of the threats which can impact the population of this snake.
