Mumbai: Fire brigade officials must undergo training on snake rescue

The officials in this viral video didn't know how to use tongs

A video of the Vasai-Virar fire brigade officials carrying out snake rescue operations is doing the rounds on social media and several herpetologists and snake lovers are upset about the same. From the footage, it is evident that the officials don't know how to use tongs to hold the snake, thereby injuring them and invariably causing more harm than good to the species.

Time and again, those working in the field of herpetology and conducting snake rescue have been demanding that amateurs must attend courses on basic knowledge. In fact, they insist that unless needed, snakes should not be rescued at all.

Speaking to mid-day, snake rescuer Chitra Pednekar said, "I have seen the video and was shocked to see the way in which the snake was rescued using a tong. It was evident that they don't have the basic knowledge of it. Such rescues do a lot of harm, and so it is imperative for all the concerned fire department officials in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to get a training in snake rescue with the help of forest department and NGOs working on snake rescue in the vicinity."

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