As human encroachment dwindles the habitats of wild animals, conflict situations unfold. The Wildlife SOS rescue team is always on its toes to help in such cases, providing relief and safe rehabilitation to animals in distress. The month of October had our Rapid Response Units based in Vadodara, Jammu & Kashmir, Agra, and Delhi rescue a total of 535 animals.
Agra, Uttar Pradesh
The highest number of animal rescues in Agra during October was of reptiles, particularly snakes. Rapid urbanisation impacts the natural habitat of these slender species, making unexpected sightings of snakes in urban areas increasingly frequent. The Rapid Response Unit in Agra rescued a whopping number of 135 snakes in the month.
Among the snakes saved was a massive 15-foot-long Indian rock python (Python molurus) that had slithered beneath a sewage slab in Kanan Van Residency of Kalindi Vihar in Agra. After receiving a distress call from residents on our helpline, a two-member rescue team of trained professionals reached the location to safely extricate the large snake. By then, a crowd of nearly 200 people had gathered in the area, which led the team to carefully carry out the rescue and dispel the panic. This was followed by a safe relocation of the python into a forested area.
In another instance, a car owner in Chanakyapuri, Agra, was left stunned when he opened his vehicle’s bonnet and found a 5-foot-long rat snake (Ptyas mucosa) tightly coiled near the radiator fan. The Wildlife SOS team arrived at the site to carefully address the situation without causing any harm to the snake. A rat snake was also rescued from a Nexa showroom in Agra, where it was discovered inside the bonnet of a car. After a thorough check-up conducted by our medical team, both rat snakes were safely released back into their natural habitat.
Additional reptile rescues included 1 flapshell turtle, 1 mugger crocodile and 9 Bengal monitor lizards. Thirteen birds that included an Asian woolly-necked stork, a black kite, an Asian koel, a sarus crane, a rock pigeon, 6 Indian peafowls, and 2 barn owls were also tended to by the team. October also recorded 58 mammals such as blue bull, golden jackal, Indian grey langur and rhesus macaques being saved.
Delhi-NCR
The rescue of a 4-foot-long Indian cobra (Naja naja) from the President’s house became the highlight of October operations in the Delhi-NCR region. The snake was first spotted near Gate No. 30 of the Rashtrapati Bhavan by security personnel who noticed it repeatedly entering and exiting a hole in the boundary wall. The staff immediately contacted the Wildlife SOS 24×7 emergency rescue helpline for assistance.
Taking on the delicate task of rescuing a venomous snake, our well-equipped professional team swiftly arrived to perform the operation. After waiting patiently for the snake to emerge from the hole, the snake was finally captured and carefully transported from the location. The exceptional vigilance and awareness displayed by security personnel led to the safe rehabilitation of the Indian cobra back into the wild.
In addition to the cobra rescue, Wildlife SOS successfully responded to several other snake rescues throughout the month that included Indian wolf snake, common sand boa, red-headed royal snake, common krait, rat snake and Indian rock python. The team’s dedication to protecting urban wildlife led to the rescue of 74 birds and 43 mammals from the city in October.
Vadodara, Gujarat
The Rapid Response Unit in Vadodara responded to notifications concerning 125 birds and animals. Of these, 59 were reptile rescues, which included 48 snakes. The team also saved 17 mammals and came to the aid of 49 birds, ensuring their safe return to the wild.
Heavy monsoons had resulted in crocodiles being stranded and displaced in the streets of Vadodara. The Wildlife SOS-Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) team carried out multiple rescue operations, the first being of a 10-foot-long mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) that was spotted in the Sun Pharma Road in Kailash Shikhar. Police officials on a routine night patrol noticed the crocodile near the road divider at 3 am, which prompted them to make an immediate call to the Wildlife SOS-GSPCA emergency helpline. A 5-member rescue team was dispatched to the location along with 3 forest department staff. The team braved the challenging task of securing the reptile after an hour-long coordinated effort.
A second animal rescue involving an 8-foot-long mugger crocodile took place under Vadodara’s Lalbaug bridge. In low-lying regions, rising water levels of the Vishwamitri River during monsoons create conditions that lead crocodiles to open areas. However, when the water recedes, these animals often find themselves stranded in the middle of the city. A 4-member team from Wildlife SOS-GSPCA along with the Gujarat Forest Department conducted an hour-long rescue operation after they were informed by a sensitised onlooker. The combined effort resulted in the successful rescue of the crocodile from the busy and central location of the city. Both mugger crocodiles were handed over to the forest department for further care and eventual release back into the wild.
A joint raid conducted in collaboration with the GSPCA and the Gujarat Forest Department in the urban areas of Vadodara, namely Ajwa Road, Waghodia Road, Navapura and Wadi, led to the seizure of 11 rose-ringed and Alexandrine parakeets that were held captive. Wildlife SOS was quick to respond after getting an indication of the illegal capture of these birds that are protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Several rescued parakeets had suffered from feather cuts, deliberately done by traders to prevent them from being able to fly away. The birds required medical examinations, and were entrusted to the forest department, where they are now being cared for at their dedicated rescue centre till they are fit for release.
Jammu & Kashmir
During the month of October, the expert team in Jammu & Kashmir led by Ms. Aaliya Mir rescued 4 levantine vipers, 1 Himalayan trinket, 9 rat snakes and 2 black kites.
A family in the city of Ganderbal had an unexpected guest for breakfast when a Levantine viper cosily tucked in behind a gas cylinder. This startling early morning rescue call put the rescue team in action as the venomous species was not a common sight in the area. After procuring a picture of the suspected snake, the callers were briefed about safety measures and vigilance to be observed till the rescue team arrived at the location, which was almost 30 km away from the Wildlife SOS Dachigam Rescue Centre. The snake, weighing 800 gm and measuring 3.5 ft in length, was successfully extricated and released into its natural habitat.
A curious incident took place during a renovation project taking place in the Haj house in Bemina, the place in Srinagar from where the Haj pilgrimage is performed. A truck from the stone quarry carrying a load of small pebbles had brought with it an extra delivery of a Levantine viper, which had found itself a seat amidst the gravel. On finding this snake species, the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Team was immediately alerted. The 2.5 ft long snake was carefully brought out of the truck and released at a suitable habitat.
These rescues reflect the ongoing efforts of Wildlife SOS to protect vulnerable wildlife from human populated spaces and ensure their safe return to their natural habitats. To ensure timely response in case you spot wildlife in distress, reach out to Wildlife SOS that operates 24×7 emergency rescue helplines across four regions:
Delhi-NCR – +91-9871963535
Agra, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) – +91-9917109666
Vadodara (Gujarat) – +91-9825011117
Jammu & Kashmir – +91-7006692300, +91-9419778280
