Snake experts have sounded a caution over increased snake incursions into homes as mercury levels rise, and have advised the public to take preventive measures to avoid encounters with snakes.
Muhammad Anwar, nodal officer of Mission SARPA, a special drive of the Forest department to reduce snakebite deaths, issued the warning in the wake of the death of an eight-year-old boy, who was bitten by a snake while asleep at his house in Mattathur near Kodakara in Thrissur district on Sunday (April 19).
As temperatures rise, adult snakes tend to venture out in search of cooler shelters, increasing the likelihood of them entering houses if adequate precautions are not taken, Mr. Anwar said.
“The summer season is also the time when the offspring of certain venomous snakes, such as the cobra, common krait and Russell’s viper, are born. Unlike many other species, there is no parental care, and the young disperse in search of shelter. Along with adult snakes, these young ones, whose venom is highly potent, may also enter homes,” he said.
He pointed out that ornamental plants and climbers grown along house walls can provide easy access for snakes. They may enter houses through gaps in doors, cable entry points, outlet pipes in washrooms, and other openings if these are not properly sealed.
