TURTLES & a PARROT got freedom on Independence Day

Animal Welfare Activist Sunish Subramanian Kunju
releasing the rescue which was under care for 6 months
late released free in the natural habitat on
Independence Day

Thursday, August 15, 2013 : Plant & Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) team rescued Three (3) turtles among them two (2) were Star Turtle, which is protected species in India under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and one (1) was Red Eared Slider Turtle which native species of  Southern United States and Northern Mexico. And a Parrot which was rescued from a crows attack around 6 month back from THANE, it was under treatment and care as its badly injured, finally it was fit to release back into natural habitat today.

Hony. Animal Welfare Officer Sunish Subramanian Kunju
& Chandramani Yadav with rescued Turtles

KURLA : At around 8 clock PAWS-Mumbai office received a call from an animal lover Chandramani Yadav informing about few boys carrying some living creature in a plastic bag at Kurla near to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, initially I seen this boys carrying a plastic bag and some movement seen inside it, so I asked boys what is there inside the bag they said its turtle, we have our shop and a customer brought it back as it become larger in size, we are going to a person who is interested in buying it, if you wish  to buy it, its cost is Rupees Three Hundred (RS.300). As per the instruction given by PAWS-Mumbai to keep busy this boys till the Rescue Team reach so I was talking with them, as soon as I seen the PAWS-Mumbai Team was on the other side of the road I called them, When they seen them, they have thrown the bag on road and ran away from the spot said Yadav.

When we open the bag we have seen two (2) Star Turtle and all the turtle are in good condition. Our volunteers have searched the area but we cannot trace those boys said Sunish Subramanian Kunju, Hony. Animal Welfare Office associated with PAWS-Mumbai.

He further added Kurla area to have illegal sellers dealing with wildlife and in past too case of wildlife trade was registered same as Crawford Market in fort.

Wildlife Rescuer Sunish Subramanian Kunju with rescue
Red Eared Slider Turtle from Navi Mumbai

NAVI MUMBAI / RABALE : At around 12 clock in afternoon PAWS-Mumbai office received a call, information that a turtle is been spotted on road near Ganesh Visarjan Talao, PAWS-Mumbai Rescue Team have reached the spot and rescued the  turtle it was Red Eared Slider Turtle.

As this species is commonly seen keeping it as pet at home, later when its size increase people release it in nearest water bodies like well and talao. As its rainy season, the spot from where we rescue the turtle was near to talao, as water level have increased and over flowed at that time it may have came out said Sunish Subramanian Kunju, Hony. Animal Welfare Office associated with PAWS-Mumbai.

We will soon send this turtles to the Rehabilitation Centre at Pune, after get permission from Forest Department said Nisha Kunju, Administrator of PAWS-Mumbai.

For more information Please call PAWS-Mumbai Helpline +91 9833480388 / Sunish Subramanian Kunju +91 9892179542

More Photographs for the Independence Day Rescue Movement

 Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai Family

wishes every one a very happy

Independence Day

No LIVE snakes worship on NAGPANCHAMI day in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai & Thane

11 August 2013 Sunday : Its Nagpanchami day, Plant & Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) have setup a special team of volunteers to check cruelty to snakes on this occasion. Team have checked  various places like temples,  railway stations, railway bridges and other public place where in past snake charmers used to spot with live snake in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai & Thane areas, but its good sign not a single live snake worship spotted by the team this year. It’s all because of awareness created by animal welfare organizations in past for many years.

But team only received call for venomous snake been spotted in public place where children are playing, team immediately reached the spot and have rescued the 2 snake, both are belongs to same species, which is one of the venomous snake found in the city that is Russell’s Viper and it is baby around 1 to 2 feet long, later immediately released into natural habitat which is protected by forest department.

About Russell’s Viper : It’s Venomous

Identification : Russell’s viper has a stout, round body with thin and short tail. It has a flat and triangular head, vertical pupils, large nostrils with small scales on top with large nostrils. The body colour is brown with three rows of dark brown colour along the length.

Habitat / Habits : Russell’s viper is commonly found in anthills, rat holes, fields and grasslands. When in danger it makes a frightening loud hissing sound. Russell’s viper is the dangerously fast striker. It mainly feeds on rats.

PAWS-Mumbai is an registered organization working for the cause of animal welfare and environment protection since 2002 and recognized by Animal Welfare Board of India, you can contact them at PAWS-Mumbai Helpline +91 9833480388.

 *All the snakes are protected under the WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT, 1972 and keeping it in custody, live snake display in public under the name of awareness or extracting venom is an offence to.

PAWS-Mumbai appeals against live snake worship on Nagpanchami

Snake Charmer mostly seen near
 temple, outside railways station
& bridge

 Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) Raid Team is ready for rescue mission on the day of Nagpanchami which is on August 11, team will patrolling the entire city especially areas like Temples, railway stations / bridges, markets, etc. 

Snakes are important part of ecological cycle & plays major role in controlling population of rats. Every year rat’s eat-up quintals of grains, to avoid rats, snakes are required. That’s the reason they called as friend of farmers. On nagpanchmi & mahashivratri, these snakes are worshipped for this reason. Snake are considered as God and worshiped. Although the ancient scripts do not mention the live snakes, it has become a fashion to worship live snakes these days, Due to this practice; thousand of cobras, rat snakes, pythons, boa’s etc. are caught and brought to the city. The snakes, mostly cobras are kept hungry and thirsty for days before the annual festivals like Mahashivratri and Nagpanchami. But Boa’s are also treated especially horribly. Snakes charmers make ‘eyes and a mouth’ by burning holes in their tails with a match stick, and then they put hot wax in those holes and claim that they have two heads. They are defanged, they also stitch their mouth and their venom glands are punctured, they makes these snake - a toy. In this condition the snake cannot take any solid food and hence may be tempted to drink the milk offered to it so ‘religiously’ and many devotes put kumkum & turmeric powder on snakes which makes them blind, their mouth also get filled with these powders said Sunish Subramanian Kunju Hony. Animal Welfare Officer.    

Snake rescued from Charmer

PAWS-Mumbai team caught
 Snake Charmer using live snake

The snakes choke as the milk gets filled up in their lungs. Snakes are not adopted to drink or digest milk in the wild. Milk is a secretion given out from the mammary glands only in mammals and not in reptiles. Hence, logically a snake would not have any knowledge about milk and would certainly not drink it. Most snakes we ‘worship’ die due to our blind faith. In last few years, the awareness made by various animal welfare organizations to save snake and to worship the snake symbolically and refrain from patronizing snake charmers Nisha Kunju of PAWS-Mumbai.

As per Wildlife Protection Act 1972 it is a crime to catch snakes from wild and use them for business or even own them and as per Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 it is prohibits ill treatment and maiming of snakes of and other animals.

In past few years we seen great change in the number of snake charmer in city of Mumbai, as every year Animal welfare organize awareness and last year PAWS-Mumbai team however found only one snake charmer in city.

PAWS-Mumbai volunteer showing
Sand Boa Snake rescued from
snake charmer

As per every year, this year too PAWS-Mumbai will hold a rescue and first aid service on the day of Nagpanchami Day and there after too. PAWS-Mumbai beside rescuing and giving first aid to the snakes release them it into natural habitat of the forest under the supervision of forest staff.

This year Nagpanchami is to be celebrating on August 11, PAWS-Mumbai appeals to the members of public to refrain from torturing the snakes. If you come across any snake charmers catching snakes or incidents of live snakes worship near temples, railway stations / bridges, markets, etc in the city please support this noble mission of saving snakes by just giving a call to PAWS-Mumbai Helpline on 9833480388.