Angul: Nirakar Mohapatra and his family members experienced the shock of their lives Thursday evening after seeing a giant snake coiled up inside a mixer jar in their house at Bagadia village under Chhendipada block in Angul district. It was a damaged jar in which the reptile had taken shelter.
Even though the family members were shocked at seeing the reptile, they acted promptly to save it. Nirakar sought the help of Snake Helpline to save the snake.
Sometime later, Himanshu Sekhar Dehury, a Snake Helpline member arrived. He caught the snake and Nirakar’s family heaved a sigh of relief. On measuring the snake it was found to be approximately five feet long.
Dehury identified the snake as an Indian rat snake. It had injury marks near the stomach. Dehury said the snake may have sustained injuries trying to get out of the vessel.
As carelessness would prove fatal for the snake, Dehury did not want to take any risks. He conferred with Snake Helpline secretary, Subhendu Mallick. Then as instructed, Dehury rescued the snake after cutting the jar very carefully. He also treated the snake for the injuries.
Friday morning, Dehury took the snake to a local veterinary hospital and after first aid, the reptile was shifted to the Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry Department in OUAT, Bhubaneswar.
PNN