Mumbai: Over 100 reptiles, 12 birds rescued in July

The peacock was rescued by individual rescuers from a water filtration plant in Bhandup

Monsoon takes a toll on not only humans but also animals. Welfare organisations and rescuers are the busiest during the monsoon months with hundreds of distress calls for rescuing birds which fall from trees due to high wind or other animals including reptiles venturing into residential areas in search of shelter due to waterlogging.

City-based NGOs Amma Care Foundation (ACF), Plant & Animals Welfare Society (PAWS)-Mumbai and International Organization for Animal Protection, which work for the welfare of animals, rescued around 102 reptiles including snakes, lizards and turtles and around 12 birds from Mumbai and Thane in July.

An Indian rock python rescued from Kajupada in Borivli East

These NGOs have rescued scores of distressed animals including two Indian rock pythons from Borivli East, a Forsten's cat snake from Kajupada in Borivli, two spectacled cobras from Bhaskar Mali Chawl in Borivli West and a rat snake from Powai. Among the other animals rescued by them are two monitor lizards - one from a school at Ayre Gaon and the other from Powai. After these animals were rescued, they were taken for a health check-up before being released into their natural habitats.

Sunish Subramanian, founder of ACF and PAWS-Mumbai and Honorary Wildlife Warden of Maharashtra Forest Department, told mid-day, "We appeal to the citizen not to harm or kill any animals, birds or reptiles, just keep a watch on it from a safe distance and call an animal welfare organisation, or the Forest Department in case of wildlife."

Among the recent instances of animal rescues is a 4.5-foot-long cobra snake that entered a house at Phansipada in Ambernath East on August 1. Karishma Rathod who spotted the snake in the room with her 8-month-old baby immediately alerted snake rescuer Abhilash Dawre who along with Dipanshu Goyal took the snake out of the house and later released it into the forest.

In another instance on July 30, individual rescuers Amaan Khan and Hasmukh Valanju managed to get a peacock which got trapped inside the water filtration plant at Bhandup and released it in Thane forest. On July 28, senior TC Sukesh Kumar, who is not an animal rescuer, managed to catch a snake found inside an express train at Vasai station. The snake was later released in the forest.

Things you can do

>> Do not try to catch the animals or attempt to poke them
>> Do not panic and keep a watch from safe distance
>> Call animal rescuers or welfare organisation
>> In case of birds, put a cloth on it and place it in a cardboard box with ventilation holes

Helpline
ACF PAWS-Mumbai Helpline 9833 480388