Snakes trafficking in Orissa a concern

Smuggling of snakes has threatened the survival of the poisonous species in the coastal belt of Orissa. Demand for the poisonous snakes in foreign countries for use in medicines as well as in tranquilisers have virtually led to the rise in snake-catching trade.

Sources said the smugglers engaged with brokers who move from village to village enticing rural people to catch poisonous snakes in return for handsome payment. As it may be an easy job for them, allurement of handful of income has drawn many unemployed youths into the illegal business of late.

Rainy season only comes as a shot in the arm for the smugglers who are willing to pay in thousands and even up to a lakh for the rarest species like the Rana (Bungarus Fasciatus). Other varieties like Vipera Russeli (Chandan Boda), Naja Bungarus (Ahiraj), Naja Tripudian (Naga), bungarus Coeruleus (Chiti) and Python molurus (Ajagara) are high in demand among the smugglers. The Rana snake weighs more than 3 kg.

Recently some unemployed youths caught a Rana snake, weighing more than 3 kg from an old brick kiln in Nuagan village of Salepur bloc, Cuttack district. While the negotiation was on to sell it, some locals intervened. The smugglers then fled and later the snake was released into the local forest. It's high time that the government intervened to save the snakes, locals said.