Volunteers of Animal Lovers of Patuakhali have rescued two six-foot pythons from members of a snake-charmer (bede) community. The snakes were released around noon on Saturday, 16 September, in the Lemburbon area next to Kuakata in Kalapara upazila.

Two days earlier, some members of the bede community had been demanding money from shopkeepers in Kalapara municipal town by frightening them with the pythons. The snakes were rescued while the extortion was going on.

Rakayet Ahsan, team leader of the Kalapara branch of Animal Lovers of Patuakhali, said: "Two or three days ago we rescued the two snakes from Kalapara town. Local shopkeepers phoned us to say some people from the bede community were demanding money by frightening them with snakes. Then, with the forest department, we detained them and rescued the snakes. We released them after first aid."

Rakayet added that the group had earlier rescued a number of wild animals and released them into the forest. "As volunteers we are trying to protect wildlife."

Abul Kalam Azad, Mohipur range officer of the forest department, told Jago News that Animal Lovers had long worked to conserve wildlife and done much praiseworthy work. "We help them at all times. Every one of us should love wildlife as they do."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.