Cobra

It was a week back, I was walking down the isle when I saw two men peeking down the tiny bridge, a snake was passing under. I asked them “Kya dekh rahe ho intne shauk se” (what are you looking at with such an interest) ? They said they were looking at a snake, a cobra. I quickly went to where they were standing and looked down at where they were pointing to see a snake quickly making its way down the mountain. Knowing that it was safe to follow, I jumped across the railing and followed the snake but it hid somewhere. Later a non-profit group came to catch the snake. These social workers catch snakes and leave them in the jungle where the forest authorities have authorised them to do so. A noble work, the idea is that people should not kill the snake in fear of it being around the area. the guys were daring, they jumped in where the snake was hiding a started looking for it, after 15 mins of search nothing showed. I started chatting with the guys, I asked them are there King Cobras in India to which he said yes, in the north east part of the country.  One of the guys, older among the group, short height, bit bald was very knowledgeable. He told me about different type of snakes including the one which can jump.  He said one should never let that kind of snake crawl up, if one wants to catch it. Once in position, the snake can jump 8 feet. And I was like wow! and then i said “I hope not be the target of this snake when its jumping”.

Yesterday again, the cobra was spotted, but this time one of the guys here didn’t let him go. He

Smile.... click

knew that if the snake would get on the defensive, it would not run and would stay put, which will give him enough time to call the snake catchers, and if he kept the snake on defensive further then the snake catchers could get here and catch the snake. A running around and hitting a thick wooden stick on the ground did the trick. The snake got into defensive. It was measuring approx two meters and was on alert with head up, fangs out. Meanwhile this guy called the snake catchers. An officer who was later passing by, took the pics of the snake from different angles. The snake was caught, put in the bag and taken away.

~ by nalinbakshi on August 21, 2009.