The Rashtrapati Bhavan had a surprising visitor when a 5-foot-long Indian Rat snake was found in the lawns of the premises close to Gate No. 8. It was discovered when the bushes in the garden were being cleared.

Instead of trying to catch or drive away the reptile, the staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan immediately alerted Wildlife SOS on their round-the-clock helpline.

A two-member team was dispatched and on reaching there they found the snake basking in the sun. The creature, which is a common non-venomous species, was carefully removed from the President’s Estate and moved into a transportation carrier. The species is important as it helps in control of rodent population.

Currently under observation, the snake will be soon released in the wild.

In another incident, the NGO’s Rapid Response Unit rescued a Nilgai (Blue bull) calf from inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus. The animal was suspected to have been attacked by feral dogs and sustained minor injuries.

The animal was moved to the NGO’s transit facility where it is being provided with the required treatment and care.