A Celebration to Promote Welfare of Snakes - Nag Panchami!

-

We can all agree with the fact that India is a land of rich culture and traditions, of which, festivals are a major part of our lives. And while many Hindu festivals worship the gods, some festivals are celebrated to worship the nature, the upcoming festival being Nag Panchami.

Snake gods are considered to be very powerful and it is believed that pleasing them will bring peace and prosperity to the devotees. Women fast for the day for their families and unmarried girls strive to get a good husband. In all this excitement and the need to please the snake gods, we often forget to celebrate the essence of the festival and to understand snakes.

Despite a festival dedicated solely to celebrate snakes, they still remain one of the most misunderstood species. The image which we don since childhood about snakes being powerful makes us fear them. We are so scared of snakes that even looking at a tiny snake can make most of us squeal. What is interesting is that most of the snakes around us are non-venomous and they cannot harm us! The image of the snake community being venomous drives us to harm them even more so that we can protect ourselves. Imagine protecting yourself from danger, which does not exist!

Snakes are indispensable to the ecology. They play an important role in the food web as predators and as prey. They are the best rodent controllers. These rodents, if not hunted on time, can cause serious damage to the crops as well as ruin the essential structures of the urban setting.

Snakes mean no harm to humans and many species have adapted themselves with the human lifestyle. They stay close to us and protect us from diseases that the rodents can cause to humans like hantavirus, rat-bite fever, etc.





These could be some of the many reasons why our ancestors started worshiping snakes. But in the intent of paying our respects to snakes, we end up harming them. How? Nag Panchami traditions include giving the snakes a bowl of milk. Some people who follow the tradition religiously, call snake charmers and forcefully feed the milk to the snake. This practice is fatal for the snakes because they CANNOT digest dairy! We, thus, end up killing snakes whilst thinking that we made them happy.

This Nag Panchami, we urge you to come together and spread awareness. Let us all listen to what snakes actually want, which would be a balanced ecosystem for living and for us to respect their space.

Let us understand the different species. We pay tribute in understanding, not assuming.

If you wish to do something towards the welfare of snakes, you can donate towards the rescue operations and treatment of snakes at our hospital. PfA has rescued over 5500 Spectacled Cobras till date and this species is the most rescued reptile at our centre!

To donate, visit – http://peopleforanimalsbangalore.org/donate


Authored by Praanjali Shukla

Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 25, 2020 at 1:27 PM

    Very good didi. This was very good very generous about snakes and very informative. Write more and i will read more!!😃

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Smuggling the Stars: Illegal Trade of the Indian Star Tortoise

-
Image
On May 1, PfA Wildlife Rescue & Conservation Centre faced the grim reality of illegal wildlife trade yet again. We responded to a call from a bus conductor and rescued 218 Indian Star tortoises, which were all tightly packed into three small bags. They were all juveniles, ranging between just a week old to 4 to 5 years old. Unfortunately, one of them had already succumbed to the horrendous conditions in which these tortoises were being transported.   The demand for the Indian Star Tortoise in the exotic pet market is fueled largely, but not entirely by the superstitions that surround the animal. Some believe that the star tortoise can fix the “Vaastu” of a house or simply bring good luck to the house it’s kept in. Others, allured by the beautiful patterns of the shell,  simply want to keep them as pets.  You might be wondering “But why shouldn’t they be kept as pets?”. Other than the fact that it’s illegal, there are various reasons why keeping them as pets is harmful...
Read more

Avian Treasures of Bengaluru: A Guide to the Birds of Its Urban Wetlands

-
Image
Bengaluru, known as the "Garden City" of India, is not only famed for its green spaces but also for its thriving urban wetlands. These water bodies, though surrounded by a growing metropolis, provide a haven for an extraordinary variety of birds—both resident and migratory. In recent years, the wetlands of Bengaluru have become important hotspots for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike, showcasing the city's rich biodiversity. The Importance of Bengaluru's Wetlands for Birds Wetlands play a crucial role in sustaining a variety of bird species by offering food, shelter, and breeding grounds. Bengaluru, despite its rapid urbanization, still has several lakes and marshes that act as key habitats for waterfowl, waders, and even raptors. These wetlands serve as both stopovers for migratory species and year-round habitats for local birds. Key Wetland Areas in Bengaluru Some of the most prominent wetland areas in Bengaluru include: Puttenahalli Lake : A lesser-known bi...
Read more

Doing the "Imp"ossible: The Science and Art of Feather Implantation

-
Image
The idiom “to clip someone’s wings'' in the English language refers to metaphorically restricting someone’s freedom. But when it comes to the world of urban wildlife, metaphors can turn quite literal. Hundreds of birds a month suffer from brutal wing injuries. Electric cables, network towers, paper kites tethered to Chinese Manja thread, and collapse due to dehydration are just a few of the myriad dangers they face every day. When a bird has a wing injury and loses feathers in the process, it can take around six to nine whole months for them to grow back naturally. A bird that is biologically capable of flying cannot survive being flightless for too long. Being flightless, you’re an easy target for the likes of cats, snakes and even other birds. Assuming thirst and starvation don’t get you first. It’s essentially a death sentence. But as it turns out, to ensure a bright future for our feathered friends, we had to but look at the past. An ancient practice used in falconry over t...
Read more