Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Mohammed Anees was in the 3rd standard and on his way to Baldwin Boys high School, where he studied, when he laid eyes on the first one. It was run over by a truck and the hind part of its tail smashed on the tarmac.

But, little Mohammed, picked it up, put it in his school bag and took it to school. During class, somehow it managed to wriggle out. In no time the whole class was screaming, and Mohammed got beaten by his class teacher, his Principal, and later in the day by his parents and then his uncles, in that order.

It was Mohammed’s first encounter with the species.

The snake.

Since that fateful day, which he remembers with a sheepish grin, Mohammed has rescued caught and rehabilitated more than 2500 snakes, earning him the title ” The Snake Charmer of Bangalore”.

From Majestic to Shivajinagar, residents remember him fondly as the man who ‘charmed’ hundreds of poisonous snakes out of their compounds and houses.

Online Bangalore met up with this extraordinary human who snaked his way into our hearts. He talks fondly of his undying love for snakes, their habitats and our relationship with the most misunderstood of God’s creatures.
As we seated ourselves on his balcony, and sipped tea, Mohammed unwraps a cloth covered glass tank, and displays to us two baby snakes, each about 15 centimeters long.

With one eye on these beautiful specimens, and the other on Mohammed, their guardian,
we start the conversation.

What Snakes are these?
These are baby Trinkets. And this is for the first time in India that they are being bred in captivity. I found their mother almost dead. I brought her home, and nurtured her. She laid 8 eggs. These are the two which hatched ( He tosses in a baby lizard into the tank as feed).

Contrary to what the reptile theoreticians assume, it took 85 days for them to hatch. They said 45 to 50 days. I have proved them wrong. Until you do it by yourself, you’ll never know for sure.

Have you bred any other snakes in captivity before?
Yes. I have incubated, hatched and raised 17 cobras in captivity.

When and where was your earliest contact with snakes?
On my uncles farm in Chickballapur. It was punishment transfer according to my folks, ‘coz I’d fared badly in my 10th standard exams. But for me, it was some of the greatest days of my life, as I would catch lots of snakes and then release them in the nearby forests. I guess I became an expert from those days on the farm.

How did you become popular as a snake catcher in Bangalore?
After I moved to Bangalore after the farm days, I used to help catch snakes initially from the houses of my friends and relatives. Gradually the word spread and then people from all parts of the city started calling me.

Which parts of Bangalore are most infested with snakes?
The whole of Bangalore actually. But, the most densely infested areas are Kamanahalli, Bashweshwar Nagar, HAL – Indiranagar, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Giri Nagar areas.

Which were your biggest and memorable catches upto date?
The biggest catch was 57 snakes from the compound of the Drug Testing Laboratory and 21 snakes from the compound of the residence of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, then Mr. Bhaskar Rao, both on the same road.

What is the reaction of the people after you catch the snakes.
Relieved naturally. But, I’m surprised at the concern that the people of Bangalore have for snakes. In some cases, after they find out that the snake is not poisonous, they have requested me to release it there itself. Having a non poisonous snake in your yard is actually a prevention against poisonous ones and they also get rid of all the rodents.

Do you have anybody to assist you?
Earlier, I was alone, but now I have about 16 persons who have been trained by me.

What is your ‘modus operandi’ so to speak?
We are alerted of the presence of snakes by phone calls. We then reach the spot immediately and trace out the snake. The catch is made usually with bare hands, but we use the hook at times when we have to get them out of holes or crevasses. We then put them into specially made snake bags that are 4 feet long and then bring them to my house where they are then placed in snake boxes. After a gap of 7-8 days, we then take them to the Banerghatta forest where they are released in the presence of the Government Forest officer.

Where do these snakes normally tend to hide?
Almost anywhere actually. I have caught them from ceiling fans, inside car bonnets, motorbikes, suitcases…..practically everywhere.

What are the varieties common to Bangalore?
Cobras, which are poisonous and rat snakes which are non-poisonous. In all there are 19 varieties of snakes in Bangalore, (though the theoreticians wrongly state 21) including the big four poisonous snakes.
In fact after all these years I can tell where the snake is from when I see it. The ones from Bashweshwar Nagar area have a dark tinge to their skin, while those from other areas bear different characteristics.

What are the Big Four?
They are the four most poisonous snakes in the world, and Bangalore has all four of them. The Cobra, Krait, Russell’s Viper and the Saw-scaled Viper.

Why do snakes attack humans?
Actually snakes never attack unless they are provoked or attacked. So if you see a snake, just keep still and look at it in the eye. Don’t ever make a move towards it.
65% of all snake bite cases are those that take place when the snake is attacked.
25% when they are stamped upon unknowingly in the dark.
5% when people roll over them in their sleep, especially in the villages where the snake snuggles up to keep warm.
And only 5% to so called ‘freak’ causes.
Remember,snakes never bite that which they cannot swallow and all they know is eating, mating and hiding!

How do you manage without any public support?
I love snakes. Somehow I feel it my duty to protect these lovely creatures from unwanted killing. By the grace of God or by the strangest of coincidences, every time I rescue a snake after a call, I manage to get an order for making a Billiard table, which is my line of business. So, touch wood, so far I have not felt the pinch. But I sincerely wish someone would come forward with help. It is always welcome. But somehow it is not in me to go around asking for it.

Have you won any awards for your meritorious service?
One Government official has been telling me for the last 3 years that they propose to give me the Rajyotsava Award for the service I’m doing for the public.
Nothing has happened. Nothing will, even for the next 3 years. ( He laughs)
The S.P.C.A. gave me an award last year for my service .I attend to snake calls for the S.P.C.A. also.

Do you have any future plans?
Yes. I have a lot of plans. But without funding It’s helpless.
I have compiled all my experiences with snakes into a book, which I feel can be read and understood by both 3rd standard school kids as well as medical professionals. I hope to publish it someday, if somebody is willing to fund it.

As we thank him and get up to go, one of his assistants arrive with a cobra, caught that morning from Kamanahalli. Mohammed is suddenly alert as he inspects the snake and instructs the man to put it in one of the snake boxes.

We wonder if the cobra is aware that in a week’s time, it will be free again, in its own habitat, thanks to a 29 year old, who became their protector and guardian since that fateful morning 21 years ago.

Interviewed by Monu D. Surendran

If you wish to donate to the cause of rescuing and rehabilitating snakes or for snake rescue:

Contact:
Mohammed Anees / No.15 Coles Road,/ Opp. Bank of Baroda
Frazer Town / Bangalore 560 005 / Ph: 5487424, Mobile: 98440 37424

source: http://www.onlinebangalore.com / Online Bangalore.com / Home / by Monu B Surendran