Fw: No Chraming of Snakes in Mumbai & Thane

[Guest guest]

>>From Nilesh

 

All Animal Welfare NGO’s must be happy on yesterday’s ‘NagPanchami’ Festival as

only 2 snakes found with snake charmers that was rescued by BombaySPCA & sent to

National Park for rehabilitation.

 

This is the feather in cap of all Mumbai & Thane district NGO’s. We are rescuing

snakes since year 1998. These poor snake are the victims of charmers. The

Charmers use to catch the snakes 10 to 15 days before Nagpanchmi & Mahashivratri

festivals; cruelly remove their teeth’s & fangs by thick niddle (called Dabhan).

Keep the snakes in small round basket with confinement. Keep the snakes hungry &

thirsty till the festival day, so that the snake can drink the milk.

 

NO SNAKE DRINK MILK!

 

Since the snake is kept thirsty for 10 to 15 days, any liquid comes before it

drinks. Due to force-feeding of milk, snakes vomit the milk in same basket

wherein they kept. They cannot digest the milk. Their Nussle get chock up. Due

to unhygienic condition in basket, away from proper food & water, lack of

exercise finally the snake dies. In this period the Snake Charmers make lot of

money (In thousands) on showing the play.

 

Finally charmers sell the skins of Snakes to the traders to make Vanity items

like Bags, Belts & Wrist Watch Belts. It is an offence under Indian Wildlife

Protection Act 1972 to keep, breed, exhibit & perform, sell the skins or any

body part.

 

Wildlife Dept. of Thane & Borivli use to received over 600 snakes & other

reptiles like Mongoose, birds rescued from charmers by NGO’s five years back.

Now this year it came down to just 2 in numbers. Congrats to all NGO’s for

successful campaign to save Indian Wildlife. Snakes are the part of our

ecosystem & food chain.

 

We at PAWS took both the Ambulance of Thane & Mumbai for Patrolling to all

nearest Shiva-Temples to search for snakes. We could not see single snake

charmer.

 

Regards,

Nilesh Bhanage

Hony. Gen. Secretary & Founder Trustee

PAWS - India