Jajpur: In a bizarre incident, forest department officials and snake helpline members Tuesday rescued a cobra along with her 13 hatchlings from a person’s house situated near a bridge at Manpur under Danagadi block of this district.
Joint teams of Jajpur Road Forest officials and Snake Helpline local volunteers rescued all the venomous reptiles after the house owner spotted the reptiles in his house this morning.
According to reports, family members of the house owner, Shiba Prasad Jena, initially noticed a cobra entering their house following which they informed the Forest department and the officials at once summoned the Snake Helpline.
In his reaction, Snake Helpline volunteer Manibhadra Mallick said, “Ranger Sir from the Forest office phoned us. Along with the forest officials our team rushed to the spot. We rescued 13 cobra hatchlings and their mother. We will release them all in the jungle.”
“The hatchlings were under an asbestos sheet while the mother cobra was in the cow shed. There is a jungle nearby,” he informed.
Jajpur Road Forest Range Officer Debendra Pattnaik said, “Shiba Prasad Jena who lives near Manpur bridge, intimated us. After getting the information, Manibhadra Mallick of Snake Helpline under our range along with our team rescued them. Altogether 13 cobra hatchlings and their mother have been rescued. They are healthy. Now we’ll release them all into their natural habitat.”
The cobra and the hatchlings were later released into the forest, sources said.
PNN