In a decade, Hyd-based Friends of Snakes Society rescued over 75,000 reptiles

The substantial volume of rescues, averaging over 35 snake encounters daily, has also provided animal volunteers with invaluable experience in safe snake handling and management

Hyderabad: In a unique achievement in the conservation of snakes, in the last one decade, Hyderabad-based Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS) in collaboration with wildlife authorities have managed to rescue and rehabilitate more than 75,000 snakes successfully.

The decadal data demonstrates remarkable growth in snake conservation efforts, showing a consistent upward trajectory from 3,389 rescues in 2015 to 13,028 in 2024. This nearly fourfold increase reflects growing public awareness of conserving snakes and also the capabilities of the Snakes Society, FOSS general secretary Avinash Visvanathan said.

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The substantial volume of rescues, averaging over 35 snake encounters daily, has also provided the animal volunteers of the Society with invaluable experience in safe snake handling and management.

“This expertise has culminated in the development of sophisticated rescue protocols and safety measures. Despite the high-risk nature of snake rescue operations and the significant number of venomous species encountered, FOS has maintained an exemplary safety record,” he said.

Taxonomic analysis of the rescue data reveals significant insights into urban herpetofauna demographics. The Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja) represented 47.5 per cent of rescues with 6,186 individuals, while the Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) accounted for 3,120 rescues (24 per cent).

“Our decade-long monitoring of seasonal snake activity patterns has yielded comprehensive data sets that we’re currently analysing for publication. This forthcoming research will provide crucial insights into temporal distribution patterns, species-specific behavioural adaptations, and human-snake conflict dynamics in urban ecosystems,” says Avinash.