Snake rescues in Hyderabad rise 10 percent annually

A decade-long study by CCMB and Friends of Snakes Society reveals that snake rescues in Hyderabad have risen by 8–10 per cent annually, with venomous species making up over half of the cases.

Hyderabad: In the last decade, Hyderabad has annually witnessed 8 to 10 percent increase in snake rescues. Notably, 54 percent of the recorded snake rescues involved venomous species, a landmark decade-long study on snakes by researchers from Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Friends of Snakes Society (FOSS) said.

The study, published recently in the prestigious Global Ecology and Conservation, analysed 55,467 snake rescues between 2013 and 2022, and showed how snakes persist and adapt within rapidly urbanising environments of Hyderabad.

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Two species, the spectacled cobra (Naja naja) and the Indian rat snake (Ptyas mucosa), accounted for 76 percent of all rescues. These snakes appear to be particularly well-adapted to densely populated urban environments, indicating their ecological flexibility.

“Species such as the spectacled cobra and the Indian rat snake play a critical ecological role, and disruptions to their populations may lead to unintended consequences, including possible surge in urban rodent populations,” commented Dr Karthikeyan Vasudevan, the lead scientist at CCMB.

The study identified distinct clusters of snake encounters in Hyderabad, with 232 hotspots that accounts for 6.9 percent of the city. These hotspots were predominantly rapidly developing peripheral zones, indicating that urban expansion and habitat modification are key drivers of human–snake interactions.

Avinash Visvanathan, a lead researcher from FOSS points out that the study provides the first empirical evidence of snakes displaying adaptations to human-modified environments. “Snakes use urban green spaces, drainage networks, and prey availability, supporting their persistence within the cityscape,” he said.

The study indicated that snake encounters peak during monsoon period (July to November) and reach a maximum in October. These temporal patterns align closely with the biological processes of snakes such as mating, birth of young snakes, and increased activity under favourable environmental conditions. The study also noted increased activity of snakes in warmer conditions, whereas prolonged rainfall periods temporarily reduced their activity.