One campus has a snake-catcher on call while in another, a techie doubles up as a snake rescuer
Some of Bangalore’s flagship technology enclaves are not home only for tech savvy professionals, but also several species of snakes.
Species, such as cobras and common kraits, are appearing on the campuses of companies based in the enclaves, which are located on the city’s outskirts or are flanked by water bodies.
On call
So much so that at Bagmane Tech Park (BTP) in C.V. Raman Nagar, where 10,000 people work in various marquee companies, buildings are fenced with a six foot wall and a snake-catcher is on call at all times. At Electronic City, a techie even doubles up as a snake rescuer.
A source in the industry association said that BTP gets ‘a lot of snakes’ because of the water body nearby. While there have been several sightings in the tech park, the facility manager says at present there is no complaint about snakes.
At Electronic City, Nitin Shenoy, a software professional in Wipro, doubles up as a snake rescuer. He has rescued 150 snakes in the last three years.
Expert on snakes
At least four of the 256 species found in India have been sighted in the company’s campus, he said. Among the snakes he has rescued are the Spectacled Cobra, Indian Rat Snake, Checkered Keelback, Water Snakes, Green Vine, Common Kraits, Russell’s Viper and the Common Wolf Snake.
A passion
Snakes come out in the open to bask in the sunlight, chase prey such as rats or frogs, and to mate. Garbage provides shelter and also nourishment as it attracts rats, which snakes prey on.
Mr. Shenoy, who is passionate about reptiles, says it is best for people to co-exist with snakes because the slithery creatures are required to maintain the ecological balance in nature. “Killing them increases the number of other pests, such as rats. It is best for people to live and let live.”
(The Hindu)
