Rare Albino snake rescued in Chembur

The snake was released in the jungle

A rare Albino Kukri snake was rescued at Kalina University by a Chembur resident on Friday morning.

Albino Kukri is a rare snake, which is white in colour with red eyes, and is hardly ever found in Mumbai. In the past 30 years, it has been spotted only once in Mulund in 2018.

The wildlife rescuer was identified as Amaan Khan, 19, and is a FY Bcom student. Khan released the Albino Kukri snake into the Mumbai University jungle area after rescuing it. The common Kukri snake is a small non-venomous nocturnal reptile found in various parts of India, but the albino species is hardly seen. Speaking with mid-day, Khan said, "After birth, Albino Kukris lose colour."

"On Friday morning, I received a call for help from Mumbai University at Kalina, that a small snake had been spotted in the artificial pond which is under renovation. I arrived at the spot to find this snake there. I informed the Forest Department and rescued the snake. Its skin is transparent; you can see its insides," Khan added. In 2018, Pawan Sharma, a president of Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) and his team rescued a Albino Kukri snake from a Mulund slum which is close to Sanjay Gandhi National Park.