Culture

5-foot-long snake triggers scare at Delhi’s Central Secretariat

For the employees of the Kendriya Bhandar, the grocery store located in the Central Secretariat premises, Thursday afternoon turned out to be an adventurous day as they came face-to-face with a big snake.

A 5-foot-long Black-headed royal snake was coiled snugly on a shelf behind a stack of sealed bhujia packets. On spotting the snake, the staff immediately swung into action by alerting the security personnel stationed in the premises, who contacted Wildlife SOS’s 24×7 emergency helpline number.

The rescue team of the NGO swiftly reached the location with the necessary rescue gear. Close inspection of the reptile revealed that it was an adult Black-headed royal snake as it had the distinct irregular black markings on the head and body.

Royal Black headed snake

The team rescued the snake safely and transferred it into a snake bag. At present it is under the NGO’s care and will soon be released back into the wild.

Sharing details about the snake, Wasim Akram, Deputy Director-Special Projects, Wildlife SOS said: “The Black-headed royal snake is an adaptable species and being a non-venomous reptile, they are harmless. This species is commonly found in Delhi-NCR and they mostly feed on rodents, lizards, birds and even small mammals.”

The Black-headed royal snake is protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and can grow up to 7 feet in length. When threatened they coil up and hiss loudly as a defence mechanism, but do not bite in retaliation. They are excellent climbers and can often be spotted on trees, low bushes and crevices.

Kartick Satyanarayan, the NGO’s CEO thanked the staff at the Secretariat Building for alerting them and keeping a watch until the arrival of the rescue team.

IN Bureau

Recent Posts

IAF orders enquiry after MiG-29 aircraft crashed near Agra

Indian Air Force (IAF) has said it has ordered an enquiry hours after a MiG-29…

5 hours ago

Paank urges Pakistan to end enforced disappearances following release of abducted students

The Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, Paank, has emphasised that enforced disappearances…

5 hours ago

UKPNP condemns new restrictions on civil liberties in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir

The United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) has condemned a recent notification from the government…

5 hours ago

India-Vietnam Joint military exercise Vinbax 2024 commences at Ambala

The 5th Edition of Vietnam Indian Bilateral Army Exercise "VINBAX 2024" commenced on Monday and…

7 hours ago

“Disaster relief in the Indo-Pacific: A key element of India-Australia bilateral ties”, says EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underscored the deepening bilateral relationship between India and Australia during…

8 hours ago

Bramption temple attack: Hindu organisations call for protest against “Khalistani intimidation” today

Following recent attacks on Hindu temples in Canada, the Coalition of Hindus of North America…

8 hours ago