Seventy-two snake hatchlings raised from eggs have been released into a safe place in Panchagarh. The young snakes, of the non-venomous water snake (jolodhora) species, were released into the Tangon river in the Dhardhara area of Boda upazila shortly before dusk on 14 May.

On 19 April, a man named Shahidul Islam recovered 75 eggs by digging up the soil of the bedroom floor in the house of Dinesh Chandra Roy in the Langalgaon area of the upazila headquarters. He then cared for the eggs himself at a controlled temperature and hatched 72 young. Shahidul Islam has previously rescued snakes of various species in different places and released them into small patches of jungle.

Locals said Shahidul Islam, who is sensitive to snakes and all other animals, lives in the Kaliaganj area of Jholoi Shalshiri union in Boda upazila. After special training in snake catching from the Venom Research Centre of Chattogram University, he has long been known locally as a wildlife conservationist and rescuer. Whenever he hears of a snake sighting or rescue in any part of the district, he rushes there on his own initiative.

About a month ago he went to the house in Langalgaon to rescue a snake. Finding no snake, he noticed a hole resembling a rat hole and began digging. Although he found no snake there either, at one stage of the digging he recovered 75 snake eggs from the hole. Under his close supervision, at a set temperature and air humidity, the eggs began hatching within 15 to 20 days, and 72 young emerged one after another. Shahidul said the hatchlings are of the non-venomous water snake species.

Dinesh Chandra Roy of Langalgaon said: "After seeing a snake in my house, we searched all over it. We moved the furniture but still could not find any snake. But we were sure there was a snake in the house. We then informed Shahidul Islam, a locally known snake rescuer. He came and, though he did not find the snake, he dug up the floor and recovered 75 snake eggs."

Shahidul Islam said this is the right time for water snake eggs to hatch. Hatching snake eggs generally requires air humidity of 70 to 75, and at a temperature of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius the young hatch on their own. Only three of the rescued eggs were spoiled. The released snakes are completely non-venomous and beneficial, and pose no risk to people, he said.

Every creation of the Creator has the right to live, he said, so nobody should kill such snakes if they see them nearby, nor destroy their eggs. Snakes of any species usually flee and leave their eggs behind when frightened, which is why the mother snake was not found. Shahidul advised people to inform him or another snake rescuer if they see a snake anywhere.

Earlier, on 7 February 2021, a rare and nearly extinct species called the red coral kukri snake was found in Panchagarh for the first time in the country. Shahidul Islam rescued that snake in an injured state. He has also rescued and released numerous venomous and non-venomous snakes of various species at different times.

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