Karnataka: A snake in your house may cost a bomb!

Chikkamagaluru: Catching a snake is a costly affair in Chikkamagaluru and  neighbouring districts of Shivamogga. Cashing in on both the fear and reverence that  people have for snakes that stray into their houses in these parts, the animal rescuers  here charge them anywhere between Rs 1,000 to Rs 3000 to be rid of them.

While the fee to catch an ordinary snake is Rs 1,000,  it goes upto Rs 3,000 if  a King Cobra is spotted in a house, says a snake catcher, Nagaraj, who has been in the business for the past 15 years.

Some even dupe people into believing they need to perform rituals to appease the Gods and suggest the names of priests they may be in cahoots with for conducting them.  The cost involved ? Another Rs 5,000.

As people have little knowledge of snakes, these unscrupulous rescuers fleece them even more by calling a non-venomous snake  highly poisonous and demanding a bigger fee, says another snake rescuer, Jaikumar. "People readily pay the amount asked for as they just want to be rid of the snakes," he reveals.

Both Nagaraj and Jaikumar are worried that these racketeers, who usually lack proper training, may be harming the snakes they catch.

"A rescued snake should be released in the presence of forest officials and within its range. But they instead pose for photographs with the snakes for a long time, placing them  under great stress," they say.

 Ask Chief Conservator of Forests, Chikkamagaluru, Rangegowda, about the snake rescue racket being run in the district and he assures he will look into it and  take steps to curb it.