In 2019, when 10-year-old Shahla Sherin was fatally bitten by a snake coiled in a hole right under her bench in the fifth-standard classroom of a government school in Wayanad, the number of recorded snake bite deaths in Kerala was 130. In 2020, the year a cobra covertly let loose inside the bedroom by her husband had struck 25-year-old Uthra, the number of snake bite deaths was 80.
In 2023, the number halved to 40, nearly four deaths a month. This year, at this more than half-way stage, the number of recorded snakebite deaths is only seven, one a month. Kerala is on its way to emerging as India's first 'zero snakebite casualty' state.
Helping Kerala achieve this ambitious 'no snakebite death' idyll is the SARPA (Snake Awareness Rescue and Protection) app, an application created by the Kerala Forest Department after Shahla's and Uthra's deaths. SARPA combines scientific snake rescue and quick medical help for victims. Those who have downloaded SARPA can contact the nearest 'Forest Department' -certified snake handler and, if there is a bite, will get directions to the nearest hospital where anti-venom is available.
Lessons from two deaths
Shahla and Uthra's deaths had thrown light on certain realities. One, even school teachers have no idea how to respond to a snakebite; there was a delay in reaching Shahla to the hospital.
Two, the unscrupulous among traditional snake charmers, unlicensed handlers, illegally hold on to the snakes that they have caught and use them for criminal deeds. (The Uthra murder investigation had revealed that Uthra's husband had rented cobras from a local snake charmer. It was the third snake that killed Uthra.)
Combining courage with scientific sense
There was also the realisation that rescues carried out by even well-intentioned snake experts were done in an unscientific way. For them, impulse is the only method.
"We found that these snake catchers handle snakes in a rough manner that is dangerous both for the snake and the handler. Most often than not they panic and hold on to the heads and necks and spines of these snakes with their hands. The spines of these reptiles are so delicate that they are easily damaged. Even if they are rescued and let off in a forest area, they will not survive," said Mohammad Anwar Y, the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) who coordinates the SARPA mission of the Forest Department.
So the mission began with scientific training of rescue volunteers. As a first step 'snake handling guidelines' was drawn up in 2021 with the help of globally renowned conservationists and herpetologists like Joyce Jose and Sandeep Das. Initially, five volunteers were trained in the scientific ways of handling snakes. Mohammad Anwar, who had experience in dealing with snakes as a young forest ranger, was among those who offered the training to the first batch.
Whitaker's 'curve' strategy
It was legendary herpetologist Romulus Whitaker's snake rescue method that was adopted. Whitaker uses a long steel rod that is curved at the end, almost like a hockey stick. The modus operandi is seemingly simple. Whitaker uses the curved portion to hold the snake gently from under and guide it to an open cylinder, a PVC pipe, fixed to the end of a dark cloth. The snake gets into the hole and passes into the cloth.
"Snakes impulsively turn to the dark. When in danger, they look for the safety of their dark corner," said Alappuzha-based Arun, whom Anwar considers as one of the finest snake handlers trained by the Forest Department.
Once inside the cloth, the rod is placed across the neck of the cloth to prevent the snake from coming back. Now the handler's hands are free to remove the cylinder pipe and twist the end of the cloth into a tight knot, locking the snake inside. This way, the snake is not harmed.
Rise of snake rescuers
What began with five in 2021 has now swelled to 4,500. In three years, the Forest Department has trained 4,500 volunteers for snake rescue across Kerala.
But not all of them are certified by the department. "Licences are granted only to those who handle snakes with confidence and care during the evaluation process," ACF Anwar said. Though 4500 have been trained, less than 2500 are licenced.
End of mob lynching
The licenced handler's job is only to rescue and provide public awareness. It is the Forest Department that releases these reptiles back into their natural habitats in the wild.
"At times I had kept the rescued snakes in my home for even three days, waiting for the forest officials to arrive," Arun said.
Wouldn't they be hungry? "The fundamental rule in our survival book is not to give food to these rescued snakes. They can go without anything for days. They have enough fat to survive," Arun said.
The snakes will not feel suffocated either. The cotton cloth in which the snake is trapped lets in air. "The snake is safe inside. What is more important is how the snakes feel. Inside this artificial hideout, the snake is under the impression that it is safe, away from dangerous humans. Our job is to leave the snake that way, till the forest officials come to collect it and release it back in the wild," Arun said.
The app documents each rescued snake. In the last three years, the app has been used to rescue 41,656 snakes.
And, the profile of the snake rescue volunteers, who do this work out of passion and for no other consideration, range from auto drivers and housewives to medical college professors. There are handlers who have rescued more than 2,000 snakes.
Hospital stretch
Along with calling for a snake handler's help, the SARPA app also provides information about the nearest hospital with anti-venom. As it stands, there are 88 hospitals in Kerala, government and private, that stock anti-venom.
"Before starting for the nearest hospital, a call should be made to the number given in the app to make sure whether the hospital has anti-venom. There is a chance the hospital could have run out of supply. If so, the app will point to the second nearest hospital," Anwar said.
Two snakebite myths busted
The handlers are imparted a cardinal rule of snakebites. When bitten by a snake, there is no first aid. The only option available is to rush to the nearest hospital with anti-venom.
"Some unfortunate practices continue even today like biting the area of the snakebite to suck out the poisoned blood from the victim, and applying certain traditional concoctions on the wound. All this will only worsen the situation," Anwar said.
The seemingly sound practice of using a tourniquet, tying a cloth tightly around the wound, is also considered dangerous. "At the most, you can tie a crepe bandage around the wound, not tightly but normally. And this is done only to immobilise the muscles, and nothing more," said Dr Bipin Gopal, a physician who is also a snake expert.
