With a large number of snakes spotted at Delhi homes, can the human-friendly mongoose, an enemy of these vipers, be far behind? 

No, and that is what a family in East Delhi’s Shahdara experienced when they found an Indian grey mongoose on the balcony of their residence.

The Indian grey mongoose, which shot to global fame as the hero of Rudyard Kipling’s short story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi”, as an English family pet that valiantly fights and saves them from the dreaded cobras.

Kipling is said to have been inspired by a mongoose and snake story in Panchatantra, the ancient Indian collection of animal fables.

The mongoose in Delhi home is believed to have landed in the balcony through a pipe in hot pursuit of a snake and was stranded. Surprised to see the animal and observing its discomfort, Ashwani Kumar the resident called Wildlife SOS. “We spotted the animal trapped on our balcony and recognised that it was a mongoose. I came across the Wildlife SOS rescue helpline number on the internet and immediately called them for help.”

The NGO’s Rapid Response Unit reached the house and safely rescued the animal. The veterinary doctor of the organisation checked the animal and found it had no injuries and was healthy and fit. It was released in its natural habitat.

Native to the Indian subcontinent and West Asia, the Indian grey mongoose is found in open forests, scrublands and cultivated fields, often close to human habitation. It lives in thickets, hedgerows, burrows, among groves of trees, and takes shelter under bushes and rocks and is a good climber.

Meanwhile, students of Godavari Hostel of Jawaharlal Nehru University came across a Asian Koel. It was in a bad condition and couldn’t fly. They called Wildlife SOS who reached there and found that the bird had an injury on its wing. It was moved carefully to a transit facility and treated. Currently under medical observation, it will be released once declared fit by the veterinarians.

Member of cuckoo order of birds, the Asian koel in the Indian subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia. The bird is a widely used symbol in Indian and Nepali poetry.

According to Wasim Akram, Deputy Director, Special Projects, Wildlife SOS factors like extreme heat, dehydration, or even an injury due to a minor collision lands these birds on the ground making them unable to move.