India’s snake rescuers: Can humans and serpents coexist in a megacity? | 101 East Documentary

Key Concepts

• Habitat Loss: The primary driver of increased human-snake conflict in Bengaluru due to rapid urbanization and development.
• Human-Animal Conflict: The direct result of snakes being displaced from their natural habitats and forced into urban environments.
• Urbanization and Development: The rapid growth of Bengaluru as an IT hub, leading to the destruction of natural spaces like lakes and agricultural land.
• Snake Rescuers: Individuals dedicated to safely capturing and relocating snakes found in urban areas, often driven by passion rather than profession.
• Public Awareness and Education: The importance of dispelling myths about snakes and promoting coexistence through workshops and public outreach.
• Ecological Balance: The role of snakes in the ecosystem and the disruption caused by their displacement and inability to adapt to new environments.
• Flooding: An increased problem in Bengaluru, exacerbated by the encroachment of lakes and waterways, which flushes snakes out of their burrows.
• Cultural Reverence: The historical and religious significance of snakes in Indian culture, particularly in Hinduism, which contributes to their protection in some contexts.
• Conservation Efforts: Initiatives aimed at restoring natural habitats and promoting coexistence, though facing challenges of political will and administrative action.

Summary

The Impact of Urbanization on Snakes in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, India's IT hub, is experiencing rapid development, leading to a significant loss of natural habitats for snakes. In the last 20 years, snakes have lost approximately 95% of their habitat. This habitat destruction forces snakes into urban areas, resulting in increased human-animal conflict. Snakes are found in unexpected places like bedrooms, behind cupboards, and inside cars, causing fear and panic among residents. When their natural burrows are destroyed or flooded, snakes are flushed out and seek shelter in basements, staircases, and even gutters.

The Role of Snake Rescuers

Snake rescuers like Showab Ahmed are on the front lines, responding to calls across the city to safely capture and relocate snakes. Showab's work highlights the urgency of these rescues, as delays can lead to people attempting to handle snakes themselves, resulting in bites or harm to the animals. He emphasizes that for him, snake rescuing is not a profession but a passion, learned through self-teaching and a deep calling. His journey from a 14-year IT career to full-time snake rescuing exemplifies this dedication.

Challenges in Snake Relocation

A significant challenge for rescuers in Bengaluru is the lack of suitable natural habitats for releasing snakes. Releasing an adult snake into an unfamiliar territory can disrupt the ecosystem and lead to the snake's death due to stress, lack of food, and inability to find its original territory. The urban landscape, characterized by "house after house after house" and a lack of trees, leaves rescuers in a difficult position. When snakes are found in gutters, residents are understandably reluctant to have them released back into the same drainage system.

Public Perception and Misinformation

The fear of snakes is prevalent, especially in India, where an estimated 58,000 people die from snake bites annually, the highest incidence globally. However, experts like Sububika, an urban wildlife expert, point out that most deaths occur in rural areas due to factors like farmers working barefoot and limited access to medical facilities. In urban settings, Sububika conducts workshops to educate residents about snakes, emphasizing that snakes are generally more scared of humans and will try to escape rather than attack. She aims to dispel myths and promote a more confident and peaceful coexistence.

The Impact of Flooding on Snake Encounters

Bengaluru's monsoon season brings increased snake sightings due to flooding. Unseasonal rains and increased frequency and intensity of flooding, which the Indian Meteorological Department labels the most flood-prone district in southern India, flush snakes out of their burrows. This leads to snakes being found in basements and staircases. Rescuers like Showab face heightened danger during these times, as evidenced by his harrowing experience of having to "literally swim almost with the snake" and a near-fatal encounter with a cobra.

Urban Development and Ecological Degradation

Ravi Chandar, an expert on urban development, identifies flooding as an existential threat to Bengaluru. The city, once known for its lakes and gardens, has undergone massive transformation. Built around over 200 man-made lakes connected by waterways called Raj Kalv, the city's rapid, uncontrolled growth has led to lakes being built upon, shrinking in size due to encroachment, and Raj Kalv systems being covered by buildings. This has resulted in increased flooding and a significant decline in biodiversity. Ravi notes that in the last three decades, Bengaluru's built-up area has increased to cover nearly 90% of the city.

Conservation and Restoration Efforts

Despite the grim picture, Ravi Chandar remains optimistic due to a growing awareness of the problem and the availability of known solutions. The government has initiated projects to restore Bengaluru's lakes, with over a hundred already cleared and refilled. However, a long road ahead remains.

Biodiversity Loss and Habitat Preservation

Yatin Khali, a zoologist specializing in reptiles, studies snakes on the outskirts of Bengaluru. He notes that while 33 snake species were found in the Bengaluru urban district in 1874, only under 10 species are now found within the city itself. He has witnessed significant changes in the landscape and a huge decline in the snake population during his lifetime. The destruction of natural spaces, such as scrub forests and granite hills due to mining and construction, has led to the disappearance of species like the cat snake. Yatin's personal experience of seeing the place where he caught his first cobra and Russell viper bulldozed for development is heartbreaking.

Cultural Significance and Protection

In India, snakes, particularly cobras, hold cultural and religious significance. They are revered as gods, with cobras associated with Lord Shiva and Subramanya, the protecting deity for all snakes. This reverence contributes to their protection in some contexts, as people generally do not kill them. However, the focus on cobras sometimes overlooks the importance of other snake species.

The Future of Coexistence

The work of snake rescuers like Showab and Mohan, a pioneer in Bengaluru's government task force for snake complaints, continues despite the challenges. Mohan, who once feared snakes, now loves them and has dedicated 25 years to rescuing them. His near-death encounter with a venomous snake, which resulted in paralysis, underscores the dangers involved. The rescuers' dedication stems from their belief that animals are often more peaceful than humans and that their vulnerability, inability to close their eyes, and reliance on slithering make them beings worthy of compassion. The act of releasing a snake into a suitable habitat, even if it's a lake far from where it was found, is described as a moment of freedom and the "best part" of their work.