Mangalore: Brave Women Capture Endangered Species of Snake

Chandrashekar Shetty

Mangalore, Nov 9: In a brave act, women at a township in Kochady here captured an endangered species of a snake which had strayed into their compound.

The incident was reported at Landlinks Township in Konchady on Wednesday November 7.

'Indian Red Sand Boa' (Iruthale in Tulu and Mannumukka in Kannada), a non-venemous but rare species which is listed in the endangered category, was spotted inside the township.

The women who found the snake showed the courage to catch it and transfer it to bag. They then called snake catcher Gangesh Bolur and asked him to take the snake to Pilikula snake park.

The snake measured 53 inches in length.

The women who caught the snake were Laxmi Bhat, Meenakshi, Rashmi, Keerthana Shetty, Shailaja and others.

Indian Red Sand Boa is believed to bring luck, and for this reason, is often used in black magic. Illegal trade and smuggling of the species has further led to its decline. The snake is listed under schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.