CANACONA: Indian Russel Viper, that had dangerously strayed in the backyard of a residential house at Shristhal, was caught by locals and handed over to forest department on Saturday late evening.
Deepak Dhotrekar’s friends who had gathered at his house for a dinner party were surprised to find an uninvited guest close to his house at about 9.30 pm on Saturday evening. The forest department officials were asked to come to rescue the venomous snake.
Indian Russel Viper is one of the most venomous nocturnal snakes found all over the Indian subcontinent, they prefer to reside in anthills and rat holes and mainly feed on rats and small mammals.
As the snake was trying to escape Sandesh Telekar, a social activist, with the help of Deepak Dhotrekar and few friends caught the snake and later handed it over to animal rescuer Pritam Pagi of forest department, the forest officials said that the adult snake which looks healthy is measuring about 1.5 mts and is kept under observation at animal rescue centre located at Hathipaul in Canacona, it will be later released in its natural habitat away from residential areas they said
