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I don't remember correctly, but either or both of the race-tracks (Chennai & Coimbatore) have a fair presence of snakes, especially cobras. They must be real moto-sports enthusiasts. :-)

Whenever I am at the Chennai track, trying to take photos, I always look out for these guys.

Shankar agree with you, have noticed that in Bangalore people are waiting to kill the snake....sad but true!

@s.balan, while I can understand your love for animals (reptiles in this case), IMO your action was not really the correct thing to do ie. w.r.t. to the 2 cobras that you spotted near your home. While I agree that they should not be killed, I feel the better option would have been to have them caught by experts# and handed over to the zoo or something. A cobra is venomous and if it is moving around in a residential locality, it could be dangerous for human-beings. If it was a rat-snake, I can understand letting it roam around in the locality.

#I understand that there is some guy in Blore who moves around in an auto and helps rescue reptiles that land up in homes etc. All you need to do is call his mobile or something.

these "experts" will come to rescue the snake only if it is inside your premises.
they generally do not come even if the snake if located in your garden.

I remember a person named Anif used to be actively involved in it, his number was published in the paper some years back....i had taken it down but have misplaced it:(

If anyone has the info about the snake catchers in their cities please do share the contact info, it would be very helpful..

I noticed it too. It looks too thin to be an eastern rattler, the fangs are missing and also the head doesnt look like one. Looks more like a boa or python.

Am really happy that you have a soft corner for these wonderful reptiles. Thank you Shankar Sir. Bangalore surely needs more citizens like you.

That was not Anif. His name is Anees. I do not have his number but if someone really needs help getting a snake caught then I can give them Gerry Martin's contact. Sorry but I cannot post it here.

P. S-> For those who do not know, Gerry Martin is India's only National Geographic Explorer.

zahed thanks for correcting me:)

Its quite unfortunate that some of the greatest friends to farmers are the ones treated with the most suspicion and sometimes killed outright. The owl and the snake have been given real bad reputations. They keep the rodent population down to a large extent but always perceived to be on the wrong side !!

Ok,here are the pics finally. Do let me know what snake this is. In the pic, it might look much bigger than it actually was - wasn't this big/long.







BTW, another sighting today. Was again walking to the backyard when I see something yellow under a coconut tree. Looked like a chera (rat-snake). Run inside to get the cam, but when I return it is slithering away into the bushes. Was 4-5 feet long.

Snakes are born pretty much proportional, meaning babies look like miniature adults. The large eyes on this one make me think it might be a tree snake. Tree snakes are adapted to heights by being long and slender and having good eyes with which to judge distances between branches. Large eyes also help at night. Whatever this is, he is not going to change much in appearance as he grows. I mean, he is not going to grow into those large eyes. His eyes will continue to be large.

Snakes in a car is very very scary and deadly scenario which can cause accidents just out of fear. We have a farmland and a farmhouse out in country where we often go but I make sure the car is parked with all doors closed and all glass panes rolled up. Say, is there still any possibility that one can slither in through some crack/hole/opening on the floor, firewall, engine bay, AC ducts etc. of my car ( a Lancer )?

The basic identity to a poisonous snake is the scales on the head, here the scales on the head and the 'rings' on the body say that it's a poisonous snake (juvenile of course) i think it what the call 'modra vallan' I might be wrong. But I dont think its a tree snake.

of em all the most dangerous is the russels viper cos it attks w/o warning at all if you scare it,it will bite w/o any excuse so stay away at all costs..
well cobra's they give that signature pose the standing thingie when threatened so then back off..
venom's id say russels is the most dangerous ..if you get bitten even if you have antivenom for it get ready to loose tissue on that surface/permanent damage...
you may live but your scars will tell your tale..
Most modern cars i guess dont have places where snakes can get into i guess ..

By the looks of it,it looks like a juvenile rat snake. There is a lot of confusion regarding the species due to its juvenile nature. Iam assuming it tried to enter the house during the day and was killed subsequently.

It is not a tree snake.

Is a modra vallan the malayalam name for krait?


I had an interesting incident 2days ago. I was preparing the cottage for the weekend rush for guests when I heard some rustling close to to the house. I assumed it to be a dog or the neighbour's chicken. Turned out to be a big snake slithering away. From far it looked like a rat snake and I thought this would be a good chance to catch hold of one and hence ran behind it. To my shock the damn thing raised its hood. Only then did I notice the spectacle shape on its head. Turned out to be a cobra. I still followed it and it went down to the waters edge and disappeared. It was a shock because till now a cobra had almost never been sighted in our estate. Still wondering where it came fromF

Guys,

Thats a poisonous snake! We used to called it as 'Shangu Varayan' in Kerala bcoz of the white rings/spiral designs on the body.

sadiq..