Noida, Apr 7 (IANS): An Indian Rat Snake that was stranded in the aftermath of a fire at a waste collection unit here in Sector 63 has been rescued, an NGO said on Thursday.

The Indian Rat Snake, also known as the Oriental Rat Snake, plays a very interesting role in the food chain. As the name suggests, it primarily feeds on rats and acts as the nature's very own pest control.

The 5-feet-long Indian Rat Snake had sustained minor burns on its mouth and body due to the fire incident when a local resident spotted it and out of concern for the snake, called the 24-hour rescue helpline (+91-9871963535) of the NGO Wildlife SOS.

The incident happened on Tuesday evening when the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit reached the location immediately and safely extricated the injured snake. The snake is currently under the treatment of veterinary experts. The reptile will remain under medical observation until it is declared fit to be released into the wild, the Wildlife SOS said.

Snake rescuer, Anil Chaudhary, said: "When I reached the spot, the fire was already extinguished. That is when I spotted the snake lying there with minor burns near its mouth, and decided to call Wildlife SOS. I am really thankful for the work Wildlife SOS is doing."

"The citizens of Delhi NCR are becoming more aware and compassionate about reptiles and urban wildlife. The initial reaction to spotting a snake is usually that of fear. Which is why, it is met with a lot of hostility and even killed sometimes. But in this case, we are happy to see such prompt action from the locals and their efforts to understand these reptiles, rather than fearing them," Wasim Akram, deputy director (Special Projects), Wildlife SOS said.