Need for creating awareness on snakes stressed

Rajamahendravaram: Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF-Wildlife) N Prateep Kumar has said that as many as 50,000 to 60,000 people are dying due to snake bites every year in the country and majority people are dying in Andhra Pradesh. He underlined the need to bring awareness among the people about venomous and non-venomous snakes.

Participating in the inaugural session of three-day workshop on Herpetofauna (snakes) held on the premises of AP Forest Academy here on Monday, Prateep Kumar has said that out of 272 varieties of snakes, only 52 categories of snakes are venomous in the country. But, due to lack of awareness on snakes, the people are killing them with panic immediately on seeing them.

Due to scarcity of drinking water during summer, wild animals enter villages for water and problems are arising due to mis-concept among people on wild animals. It is the duty of forest department officials to pay compensation to the victims of wild animals’ attacks and also for crop damage caused by wild animals, he said and advised the officials to avail KAMPA funds in this regard.

He congratulated District Forest Officer (wildlife) Anantha Shankar for conducting the workshop on snakes and underlined the need to conduct more workshops in this regard. DFO Anantha Shankar has said that the workshop is first of its kind in the state. Some snake catchers also died due to snake bites and said without proper rescue system, it is not advisable to catch snakes, he said. The workshop was aimed to train wildlife staff and snake catchers on how to deal with snakes.

Later, CCF N Prateep Kumar distributed certificates and kits to 10 eligible snake catchers. Wildlife Institute of India scientist Dr Abhijit Das, Zoological Survey of India scientists Dr Pratyus and P Mahopatra, Friends of Snakes Society representative Avinash, Viswanadh and Papikonda, forest section officer Sai and department officials were present.

Later, speaking to reporters Prateep Kumar has said at present tiger census is in progress and it takes nearly six months to complete the process. In between 50 to 60 tigers are moving in Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Project area. The department is counting tiger population with camera trapping and the department is maintaining full details of each tiger with photos also.