<p>The wounds were infected and deep, but the reptile survived, thanks to 15 days of intensive care combined with antibiotics treatment. Satheesh was not sure whether the snake sustained those wounds while defending itself against a mongoose or a human being.<br /><br />Over a period of four years, Satheesh has been involved in rescuing and rehabilitating these majestic snakes in the thick forest of the Western Ghats; the Ghats are considered to be the king cobra’s abode. Yet, lately, king cobras have been found from areas far from their natural habitat and closer to residential areas.<br /><br /> The injured king cobra was Satheesh’s 53rd prize catch in and around the temple town of Dharmasthala. King cobras have also been rescued from the residential areas of Karwar, Pune (Maharashtra), Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh), Mizoram and other North-Eastern states, very close to human habitat. This phenomenon has raised fear of a possible human-king cobra conflict. <br /><br />On an average, 20 to 25 king cobras are rescued and rehabilitated by herpetologists every month in Karnataka alone.<br /><br /> “The shrinking of the Western Ghats due to various ‘development’ projects is a reason for the migration,” says Gowri Shankar, former conservation officer at Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, a non-government organisation that has been researching the secret lives of the king cobra or Kalingasarpa as it is colloquially known (scientific name: Ophiophagus hannah). <br /><br />“Scarcity of food in the forest drives them to paddy fields, where their favourite food, rat snakes are found in abundance,” he adds. The king cobra feeds on twenty varieties of venomous and non-venomous snakes and other amphibians, thus playing an important role in maintaining the balance of the food chain. “Yet another factor is the human settlement inside the territories of these snakes.”<br /><br />Territorial fights between male king cobras and floods may also be the contributing factors for the migration, opine experts. These snakes can attack with ferocious speed and the quantity of venom they have is enough to kill six men or one adult elephant in one bite, but the truth is “they are very shy animals and do not attack unless their life is at risk,” says Satheesh. <br /><br />According to unofficial statistics in the last 20 years, not more than four people in Karnataka have died of king cobra bites. There are no records of the number of king cobras that have been done to death in the past or those surviving now. These snakes are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (Schedule II) and killing them could lead to three years of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000. <br /><br />The government has announced measures to protect this rare species. It has declared a majority of the king cobra’s habitat as protected and the Central government has declared the Shivarama Karanth Biological Park (Pilikula), Mangalore, as India’s only king cobra study centre. <br /><br />Last year, the biological park successfully bred five king cobras and produced 32 hatchlings. It was for the first time in the history of captive breeding that these snakes had lain eggs. <br /><br />“This has never been done before. We created a perfect rainforest ambience and no-human interference space for them (king cobras) during the breeding period,” said J R Lobo, Executive Director, Pilikula Biological Park. “King cobra is the only snake in the world that builds a nest,” he points out. <br /><br /> The juveniles are now being kept under close watch at the park. Conservation experts believe that government’s efforts alone are not enough and citizens too have a role to play in conserving these snakes. “People worship and protect them in Dakshina Kannada, while in some other places these snakes are killed mercilessly. This has to stop,” says Gowri Shankar. <br /><br />Train the snake handlers<br />Most of the snake handlers who capture and rehabilitate these snakes have little or no training to handle them in a scientific manner. “I learned the art of catching king cobra from TV,” said a snake handler who did not want to be named. He has captured more than 20 king cobras, almost bare handed. Experts believe that proper scientific training should be given to the snake handlers. They should know how to capture and when and where to release these creatures and also how to administer first-aid if the need arises.<br /></p>
<p>The wounds were infected and deep, but the reptile survived, thanks to 15 days of intensive care combined with antibiotics treatment. Satheesh was not sure whether the snake sustained those wounds while defending itself against a mongoose or a human being.<br /><br />Over a period of four years, Satheesh has been involved in rescuing and rehabilitating these majestic snakes in the thick forest of the Western Ghats; the Ghats are considered to be the king cobra’s abode. Yet, lately, king cobras have been found from areas far from their natural habitat and closer to residential areas.<br /><br /> The injured king cobra was Satheesh’s 53rd prize catch in and around the temple town of Dharmasthala. King cobras have also been rescued from the residential areas of Karwar, Pune (Maharashtra), Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh), Mizoram and other North-Eastern states, very close to human habitat. This phenomenon has raised fear of a possible human-king cobra conflict. <br /><br />On an average, 20 to 25 king cobras are rescued and rehabilitated by herpetologists every month in Karnataka alone.<br /><br /> “The shrinking of the Western Ghats due to various ‘development’ projects is a reason for the migration,” says Gowri Shankar, former conservation officer at Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, a non-government organisation that has been researching the secret lives of the king cobra or Kalingasarpa as it is colloquially known (scientific name: Ophiophagus hannah). <br /><br />“Scarcity of food in the forest drives them to paddy fields, where their favourite food, rat snakes are found in abundance,” he adds. The king cobra feeds on twenty varieties of venomous and non-venomous snakes and other amphibians, thus playing an important role in maintaining the balance of the food chain. “Yet another factor is the human settlement inside the territories of these snakes.”<br /><br />Territorial fights between male king cobras and floods may also be the contributing factors for the migration, opine experts. These snakes can attack with ferocious speed and the quantity of venom they have is enough to kill six men or one adult elephant in one bite, but the truth is “they are very shy animals and do not attack unless their life is at risk,” says Satheesh. <br /><br />According to unofficial statistics in the last 20 years, not more than four people in Karnataka have died of king cobra bites. There are no records of the number of king cobras that have been done to death in the past or those surviving now. These snakes are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 (Schedule II) and killing them could lead to three years of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000. <br /><br />The government has announced measures to protect this rare species. It has declared a majority of the king cobra’s habitat as protected and the Central government has declared the Shivarama Karanth Biological Park (Pilikula), Mangalore, as India’s only king cobra study centre. <br /><br />Last year, the biological park successfully bred five king cobras and produced 32 hatchlings. It was for the first time in the history of captive breeding that these snakes had lain eggs. <br /><br />“This has never been done before. We created a perfect rainforest ambience and no-human interference space for them (king cobras) during the breeding period,” said J R Lobo, Executive Director, Pilikula Biological Park. “King cobra is the only snake in the world that builds a nest,” he points out. <br /><br /> The juveniles are now being kept under close watch at the park. Conservation experts believe that government’s efforts alone are not enough and citizens too have a role to play in conserving these snakes. “People worship and protect them in Dakshina Kannada, while in some other places these snakes are killed mercilessly. This has to stop,” says Gowri Shankar. <br /><br />Train the snake handlers<br />Most of the snake handlers who capture and rehabilitate these snakes have little or no training to handle them in a scientific manner. “I learned the art of catching king cobra from TV,” said a snake handler who did not want to be named. He has captured more than 20 king cobras, almost bare handed. Experts believe that proper scientific training should be given to the snake handlers. They should know how to capture and when and where to release these creatures and also how to administer first-aid if the need arises.<br /></p>
