Kochi: The state forest department has trained 23 women beat forest officers (BFOs) in rescue and rehabilitation of snakes.And if the results of the training programme are any indication,women may be better suited to save our slithery friends.Of the 539 who attended the recent programme 318 were were declared eligible for snake handling.While 23 of the 33 women, or 69%, cleared the hurdle, only 295 of the 506 men (58%) were successful.
“Many of them were handling a snake for the first time and ere not confident, but the training really changed them,”says Mohammed Anwar, assistant conservator of forests and nodal officer for the state-level training programme.The staff underwent training in various aspects of snake handling and rescue including understanding the reptile’s biology, behavior and habitat.
“People often catch snake and transport them in jars or sacks which dims their chance of survival. We have been trained to capture snakes in a way that won’t harm them in any way,”The forest department is now gearing up to train the public in snake handling next month. The two-day sessions will be held in all districts and those who complete the will become eligible to being certified as snake handlers.
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