Forest officials probe source of snakes used by foreign influencers

The jar allegedly used to transport snakes found at the site in Navi Mumbai

Following the report in mid-day about foreign influencers allegedly mishandling snakes protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, sources from Maharashtra Forest Department told mid-day that the investigation to find people responsible for supplying live snakes to the international influencer in Navi Mumbai and Mumbai has begun.

A team from the forest department also visited the location in Navi Mumbai where the snake handling was done and the forest department found containers/jars that may have been used to transport the snakes.

A forest department official said, "We have got the list of the snake rescuers from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai who have allegedly supplied the live snakes to both the international influencers for making videos. We have also got a group picture where 15 people are seen posing with both the influencers and we suspect that these people have supplied the live snakes. We will be investigating their roles and they will soon be called for questioning."

The forest department team also visited the location at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai where the alleged mishandling of the Indian Spectacled Cobra and Indian Rock Python was done by both international influencers.

On Thursday mid-day report "Foreign influencers in dock for handling protected species for social media likes", stated that activist and wildlife enthusiast Aanand Mohite had filed a complaint urging the forest department to take legal action against international influencers Michael Holston and Mickael Aparicio for making reels with snakes in Navi Mumbai.