Python found in changing room: As temperatures dip, snake sightings in Chandigarh take a nosedive

“In the summer and rainy season, complaints about snake sightings always increase. In winter these come down. Today, we received only two complaints and there will be days with zero complaints in the coming weeks. This is a pattern. During rain when rainwater enters burrows, snakes come out in search of shelter. The movement of snakes shrinks in winter. In this season, snakes come out of burrows for gaining warmth of sun or in search of prey,” a senior wildlife officer said.

The Common Krait, Russell’s Viper, Spectacled Cobra, Rat snakes are in abundance in Chandigarh.

More than 800 snakes were rescued from the residential areas and later released in the forest reserves. Last Thursday, an 11-ft-long python was rescued from a changing room adjoining swimming pool of Sukhna Lake Club.

The python was found in the changing room. The workers had observed the reptile’s presence due to its loud hissing sound. The swimming pool supervisor, Inder, called the UT wildlife team which took more than half an hour to rescue the reptile.

A rescue team member, Mehandi, said, “The python was found sitting between two pipes inside the changing room, where the pipes were also kept. Apparently, the python was in the process of shedding its old skin. The spot inspection and the way in which python was rubbing its body between the pipes suggested this. Its skin was old. We captured it and later released in Nepli forest.”

A woman, Harneet Kaur, 45, died due to snakebite in Sector 42 on September 28.