Kukri snake rescued near Jamia campus
A banded kukri snake was spotted near Jamia Millia Islamia University in South Delhi on Thursday.
Worried that the crowd would take matters into their own hands, a concerned passer-by contacted the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation NGO, Wildlife SOS. The NGO received the distress call on their 24-hour rescue helpline, after which a twomember rescue team was dispatched to the location.
“We come across a lot of snakes in the neighbourhood during this season and they are mostly met with hostility. Thankfully, I came across the helpline number of Wildlife SOS online and immediately contacted their rescue team,” said Rohit Kumar, the caller.
The snake was identified as a common kukri (Oligodon arnensis), also known as the banded kukri.
It is a non-venomous colubrid snake found in the Indian subcontinent and is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Kukris are often mistaken for the highly venomous common krait which it closely resembles.
“The kukri gets its name because of its sharp, curved teeth that resembles a ‘kukri knife’ that is used for slicing reptile eggs. This particular species preys on insects, larvae, reptile eggs, small rodents, and skinks. Our team works round-theclock to rescue and relocate these misunderstood reptiles and makes it possible for them to co-exist in urban areas,” said Geeta Seshamani, the co-founder of Wildlife SOS.