Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Mar 4: Dr Raveendranath Aithal, who resides at Kallare in the town and has been catching and rescuing snakes since the last three decades, has stopped providing his services. It is gathered that he decided to abandon his work after forest department served notice on him about various conditions he has to fulfil before catching snakes.

(File photo)

Dr Aithal, who obtained permission from forest department to catch and rescue snakes in 1987, established his 'Sheshavana Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Trust' in 2003. For his, he had obtained permission from Animal Welfare Board of the union government. He has been taking care of snakes, providing treatment to them and releasing them into the forests since long. He says that he has stopped his service as he is unable to stick to the conditions imposed by the forest department for continuing it.

Dr Aithal has been in this field since 27 years, and has been submitting monthly reports to forest department on the number of snakes caught and rescued etc. He has caught and released into forest about 60,000 snakes during this period, and also helped hatching of about 20,000 snake eggs. He has saved 298 king cobras and rescued over a thousand snakes from the jaws of certain death. He was bitten by venomous snakes four times during this period, and got himself treated with his own Ayurveda medicine. He has also been helping people bitten by snakes by providing his Ayurveda medicine.

As there are no snake experts in the area to rely on, the people from the region are contemplating of leading a delegation to the deputy commissioner of the district so solve this problem.