From the western part of the country in Vadodara, Gujarat to the northernmost part amidst Kashmir’s beautiful mountains, when animals are in distress, the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Units do not shy away to lend a helping hand. Ready to respond to emergency calls on our 24X7 hotlines, the rescue teams are always on the move.
November was no different and kept our teams busy with several rescue operations, one of them being the heaviest Indian rock python to ever be rescued in the country. Wildlife SOS also saved crocodiles from human habitations, and snakes from the high Himalayas. Here’s how the month of November 2024 panned out for the rescue teams.
Delhi-NCR
As Delhi’s temperature began to drop, snakes tried to find shelter in human habitations. One of the reasons behind this is that their natural refuge of burrows and dens are rapidly being degraded in urban and semi-urban areas. Snakes cannot regulate their body temperature, and depend on these refuges for warmth in the cold season. This often leads these reptiles to seek shelter inside urban infrastructures.
The Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit was called into action to rescue a couple of unique visitors who had found their way inside the National Power Training Institute (NPTI) campus in Badarpur. The team received a call on its hotline about the presence of an Indian rock python inside the canteen of NPTI.
Agra, Uttar Pradesh
As the harvest season reaches its peak in November, farmers across Uttar Pradesh were reporting an increase in python sightings in their fields during that time. Wildlife SOS, in collaboration with local farmers and the forest department officers, successfully conducted multiple python rescues. The most notable and remarkable among them was the rescue of a humongous 13-foot-long, 55 kg python from a well. The snake was of gigantic proportions and it took the equivalent strength of four adult human beings to simply pick the reptile up. This is known to be the heaviest Indian rock python on record to be rescued in the country.
The python was spotted inside a deep well in Kiraoli, Agra. A team of rescuers arrived on the scene, where they faced the daunting task of extracting the enormous snake from the well. The rescue operation took some time due to the python’s size and the depth of the well. The team devised a creative solution by using a jute bag, which was lowered into the well. One of the rescuers gently manoeuvred the python, guiding it into the bag. When the large snake finally made its entry into it, it took the combined efforts of our team, forest department officers and many locals to come together and pull up the heavy sack.
In the Dhana Teja village, a 7-foot-long python was discovered near a bitumen drum filling facility, and shortly after, another call came from Parkham village, where an 8-foot-long python was spotted in a paddy field. In each case, Wildlife SOS rescuers demonstrated expertise and efficiency, ensuring the reptiles were safely rescued and returned to the wild without harm.
The rescue of an adult male golden jackal was another highlight of the month for the Agra team. In a joint operation led by Wildlife SOS and the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, the jackal was rescued from an open well in Bajaria village located in Pinahat, Agra. The rescue transpired when residents of the village heard the sound of its cries coming from a dry well.
Vadodara, Gujarat
The highlight for November in Vadodara was the involvement of the Wildlife SOS-GSPCA (Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) team in conducting a raid against illegal wildlife trade. In a joint rescue operation along with the Gujarat Forest Department, 11 parakeets illegally kept in captivity were rescued from across multiple houses in the urban areas of Vadodara. These included the Alexandrine and rose-ringed parakeets, both protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972.
The rescue mission began when the Wildlife SOS-GSPCA team conducted an urban survey in Vadodara as part of their wildlife conservation efforts. During this observation, they discovered several parakeets being unlawfully caged in various homes throughout the city. Acting swiftly, GSPCA notified the state forest department, and together they launched an inquiry into the situation.
A total of 30 reptiles were rescued in Vadodara in November, including 20 non-venomous and 5 venomous snakes. Along with these, the Wildlife SOS-GSPCA team saved 39 birds and 10 mammals, taking November’s total to 79 rescues.
Jammu & Kashmir
As winter gradually settles in Kashmir, most animals prepare to beat the odds of the harsh weather by not venturing out too much. That’s why November witnessed a drop in calls concerning animal rescues, but that doesn’t make the stories of the J&K rescue team any less interesting.
The Rapid Response Unit received a call about a levantine viper that was seen outside a school. When a few shopkeepers spotted the venomous viper in an abandoned plot adjacent to the school, they immediately informed our rescue team. Incidentally, the school was observing a half-day and this event occurred in the second half; fortunately, the snake did not make an appearance when the school was open. This allowed our team to rescue the 3-foot-long levantine viper without any commotion.
November for the J&K team consisted of 8 rescues that comprised 3 birds and 5 snakes.
Every month, Wildlife SOS receives hundreds of calls regarding distressed animals in urban areas. If you come across any injured or trapped wild animal, immediately alert our rescue teams on the 24×7 emergency rescue helplines in the following 4 regions:
Delhi-NCR – +91-9871963535
Agra & Mathura in Uttar Pradesh – +91-9917109666
Vadodara, Gujarat – +91-9825011117
Jammu & Kashmir – +91-7006692300, +91-9419778280
