New Delhi (NVI): The premises of Delhi Legislative Assembly had an unusual guest on Sunday in the form of a black-headed royal snake. With severe cold wave gripping Delhi, the reptile took shelter at MLAs lounge, that is undergoing renovation.
After the snake was spotted, the Wildlife SOS, an NGO, was soon alerted and a two-member team rushed to carry out a rescue operation. The snake was safely rescued after the wildlife team blocked all potential hiding places and escape routes.
A member of the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response unit said, “We found the snake coiled up amidst a stack of construction material. We have carried out several snake rescues from the Vidhan Sabha premises as it is located very close to Kamla Nehru Ridge.”
The royal snake (Spalerosophis atriceps) is a non-venomous species and they mostly feed on rodents, lizards, birds and small mammals. They are excellent climbers and are found on trees, low bushes and crevices. As a defence mechanism under threats and stressful situations, they coil up and hiss loudly but rarely bite in retaliation.
Wasim Akram, Deputy Director-Special Projects, Wildlife SOS, said, “Snakes are cold-blooded animals and are extremely vulnerable to the cold. They cannot modulate their body temperature like other mammals – they need external heat sources to survive. So in cold temperature, they seek out places which are comparatively warmer. We thank the staff at the Vidhan Sabha for their support, and for alerting Wildlife SOS to this emergency.”
A spike in reptilian sightings across the national capital has been keeping rescuers at wildlife conservation NGO- Wildlife SOS on their toes.
