Bengaluru, Nov 24 (IANS) The Karnataka government has decided to form special team for King Cobra rescues to prevent exploitation and wrongdoing carried out in the name of snake rescue in the hilly and coastal regions of the state, forest authorities stated on Monday. The Regional Forest Officer (RFO) are tasked with training five staffers in every forest zone where King Cobras are found.

Environmentalists have welcomed the move and stated that the decision would put an end to the exploitation of King Cobras in the Western Ghats in the name of research.

NGOs and private organisations have allegedly violated the Wildlife Act, they said, and have demanded an investigation into organisations involved in King Cobra research.

They also noted that there are no recorded instances of local people killing King Cobras or of people dying from natural King Cobra bites, and that a narrative of man–King Cobra conflict is being created to facilitate commercial activities, they stated.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has stated that, similar to the already established Elephant Task Force (ETF) and Leopard Task Force (LTF), the government is forming a dedicated team to handle King Cobra rescues that would also help prevent exploitation and wrongdoing carried out in the name of snake rescue.

The decision was taken after holding a meeting with officials in Ajjampura of Chikkamagaluru district. The minister directed the formation of a special team to capture the increasingly sighted King Cobra in the Malenadu region. He instructed that instead of relying on private organisations, five staff members from the Forest Department should be trained to safely capture King Cobras and release them back into the forest.

King Cobras are being sighted frequently in Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, and Udupi districts. The snakes are appearing not only in forested areas but also in human settlements, inside houses, and in plantations, causing fear among the public.

As a solution, Eshwar Khandre said that there is no need to depend on reptile experts or private organisations. Instead, Forest Department personnel should be trained to capture the snakes and release them safely into the wild. A team of five trained staff, supervised by a regional forest officer, should be appointed for this purpose.

Earlier, complaints had been filed against NGOs. Allegations had emerged that commercial activities were taking place in an eco-sensitive zone and that research permits were being misused. To curb such activities, the Forest Minister has taken the initiative to ensure that only authorised forest personnel handle King Cobra rescues, and that a trained departmental team will be deployed for this purpose.

–IANS

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