7 months ago
Cobras Top Snake Rescues in Telangana
In Hyderabad, India, a lot of snakes are being rescued every year.
Last year, 15,265 snakes were saved, mostly in and around Hyderabad.
The most common snake rescued is the spectacled cobra, with 7,275 saved.
Other snakes like rat snakes, vipers, and kraits were also rescued.
The number of snakes being rescued has been increasing over the years because the city is growing, and snakes are coming into contact with people more often.
A group called the Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS) rescues these snakes and takes them to a safe place in the forest.
The most snakes are rescued during the rainy season, from June to September.
This shows that snakes are becoming a big part of city life in Hyderabad.
15,265 snakes were rescued in Telangana in 2023, with 98% of them in Hyderabad.
Spectacled cobras were the most rescued species, with 7,275 rescues.
The number of snake rescues has been increasing over the past decade due to urban expansion and greater trust in professional rescue services.
FOSS, a volunteer organization, rescues snakes and releases them in non-conflict forest areas.
The peak rescue period is from June to September, driven by flooding and habitat displacement.
- Who
- Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS) and Hyderabad residents
- What
- Rescue of 15,265 snakes in Telangana, primarily in Hyderabad
- Where
- Hyderabad and adjacent areas within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits
- When
- Last year (2023) and increasing over the past decade
- Why
- Urban expansion leading to increased human-snake encounters and greater trust in professional rescue services
Key facts
- Total snakes rescued in 2023
- 15,265
- Percentage rescued in Hyderabad
- 98%
- Most rescued snake species
- Spectacled cobra (7,275)
- Second most rescued snake species
- Rat snake (3,587)
- Venomous snakes rescued
- Cobra, Viper, Common krait
- Snake rescue organization
- Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS)
- Peak rescue period
- June-September
- Snake rescue center location
- Bowrampet
Quotes
Avinash Viswanathan
FOSS general secretary
“This has important implications for public safety and underscores the necessity of trained expert intervention. The high frequency of venomous species in urban and peri-urban settings reflects their ecological adaptability and association with human-modified environments that provide prey, shelter, and water. While non-venomous rescues are fewer, their displacement into human spaces signals increasing habitat compression and loss of ecological buffers.”
deccanchronicle.com
“The fact that in the last decade around 87,000 snakes were rescued shows that snakes have become an essential component of urban wildlife management. This aspect is growing in scale, in complexity, and resource demands.”
deccanchronicle.com
