KOZHIKODE: Snakes create fear and hatred in man. But not for Ahammed Basheer who caresses a cobra with the same warmth as he does with his child. A native of Meppadi, Wayanad, even from childhood not only snakes but all living beings on earth evoked compassion in him. Snakes grabbed his attention much more as these creeping creatures invited much wrath of human beings and also at the receiving end always, even when they do not harm anybody. Till date, Mr Basheer had saved from human habitats and rehabilitated 42 king cobras, and many more other snakes and animals.
"Each snake catching provides me with a venue to educate people about the harmlessness of these poor creatures," he says. He used to give his mobile numbers to all hoping that it would save a life. Each life, even if it is a snake, is sacred. So the job of a snake catcher also is divine. He uses only mild and soft tools to handle the snakes to avoid damage and use an endoscopic camera to ease the process. The mission should not be for heroism. Mr Basheer is always eager to rush on his bike to save a snake, bird or an animal which is in trouble. On his eagerness on attending calls, he said, "If I failed to take the call or I am late they will kill it."
"Even the King (king cobra) is mild as a child if we approach in the right way," he says. But, according to his friends, such a charmer he is, even the deadliest of cobras would be metamorphosed into as mild as a child. A guest faculty member of Kerala Forest School, Walayar, and a trainer in snake catching, he had imparted training to fire force, police and young forest staff. "I feel each man should be aware of the harmlessness of snakes. Hence I roam everywhere I could with my message of love towards not only snakes but also all living beings," he adds. Married with two children, he runs a gift shop and an electronic repair shop to eke out a living.
