No Result
View All Result
  • MISSION STATEMENT
  • CONTACT
  • BE PART OF QUALITY JOURNALISM
  • ARCHIVE
Monday, September 25, 2023
E-Paper
Kashmir Observer
24 °c
Srinagar
  • NEWSLIVE
    • TOP STORIES
    • LOCAL
    • CITY
    • REGIONAL
    • WORLD
  • IN DEPTH
    • FEATURE
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • OPINION
      • OPINION
      • EDITORIAL
      • KO ANALYSIS
      • LETTERS TO EDITOR
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • INTERVIEW
    • REVIEW
      • BOOKS
    • LONGFORM
  • BUSINESS
    • BUSINESS NEWS
    • MARKET
    • ENERGY
    • HORTICULTURE
    • HANDICRAFTS
    • CARS & BIKES
    • STARTUP KASHMIR
  • SPORT
    • FOOTBAL
    • CRICKET
    • ADVENTURE SPORTS
    • GOLF
    • ATHLETICS
    • SKIING
    • OTHER SPORTS
  • MEDIA
  • PEOPLE
  • CULTURE
    • KHYEN CHYEN
    • ARTS
    • CRAFTS
    • FESTIVALS
    • THEATER
    • LANGAUGE
  • TRAVEL
    • HOUSEBOATS
    • HOTELS
    • ANGLING
    • CAMPING
    • DESTINATION FOCUS
  • SOCIETY
    • EDUCATION
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • GENDER
    • YOUTH
    • CHILD WELFARE
  • LITERATURE
    • SHORT STORY
    • BOOKS
    • NARRATIVE
  • CINEMA
    • CINEMA & TV
  • ePAPERS
    • BAZAAR OBSERVER
    • YOUNG KASHMIR
    • MIZRAB
  • NEWSLIVE
    • TOP STORIES
    • LOCAL
    • CITY
    • REGIONAL
    • WORLD
  • IN DEPTH
    • FEATURE
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • OPINION
      • OPINION
      • EDITORIAL
      • KO ANALYSIS
      • LETTERS TO EDITOR
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • INTERVIEW
    • REVIEW
      • BOOKS
    • LONGFORM
  • BUSINESS
    • BUSINESS NEWS
    • MARKET
    • ENERGY
    • HORTICULTURE
    • HANDICRAFTS
    • CARS & BIKES
    • STARTUP KASHMIR
  • SPORT
    • FOOTBAL
    • CRICKET
    • ADVENTURE SPORTS
    • GOLF
    • ATHLETICS
    • SKIING
    • OTHER SPORTS
  • MEDIA
  • PEOPLE
  • CULTURE
    • KHYEN CHYEN
    • ARTS
    • CRAFTS
    • FESTIVALS
    • THEATER
    • LANGAUGE
  • TRAVEL
    • HOUSEBOATS
    • HOTELS
    • ANGLING
    • CAMPING
    • DESTINATION FOCUS
  • SOCIETY
    • EDUCATION
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • GENDER
    • YOUTH
    • CHILD WELFARE
  • LITERATURE
    • SHORT STORY
    • BOOKS
    • NARRATIVE
  • CINEMA
    • CINEMA & TV
  • ePAPERS
    • BAZAAR OBSERVER
    • YOUNG KASHMIR
    • MIZRAB
No Result
View All Result
Kashmir Observer
No Result
View All Result
Home IN DEPTH SPECIAL REPORT

Climate Change Turning Creepy in Kashmir, Drawing Snakes Out of Burrows

by Auqib Javeed
July 16, 2022
A A
22
SHARES
1.1k
VIEWS
The Levantine viper is a highly venomous snake found in Jammu and Kashmir

This year, the human-induced climate change resulted in a quick switch from winter to summer and forced snakes come out early to escalate the human-reptile conflict.

BEARING a stark resemblance with a South American reptile, a recent viral video showed backpackers being cut short by a crawling viper. Before one could even wonder about the location, the koshur dialect and the familiar Zabarwan heights rang alarm bells.

Despite being rare, such reptiles set tongues wagging, as they were spotted time and again, amid the soaring mercury in the valley this summer.

ADVERTISEMENT

But this ‘snake in backyard’ moment of Kashmir didn’t create impact beyond a passing debate in the virtual world.

The fact, however, remains that as the valley is witnessing a rise in temperature from the last two months, the snake sightings in Zabarwan range of Srinagar have increased.

Read Also

First C-295 Aircraft Inducted Into IAF

Political Biography Of Farooq Abdullah Released

These crawling creatures have only made Aaliya Mir a go-to wildlife expert today.

Apart from clearing lawns and residences of the former heads of unified command in Kashmir, Aaliya was seen rescuing snake in full public glare at Jahangir Chowk lately.

There has been a considerable rise in the number of snake rescue-ops conducted by this expert snake-catcher in Kashmir this year. She blames climate change for these surging snake-sightings.

“Snake rescue calls have increased this year,” Aaliya, Education Officer and Programme Head- Jammu and Kashmir, Wildlife SOS, told Kashmir Observer.

“Due to climate change, the venomous snakes especially Levantine Viper commonly known as “Gunas” was recently found in residential areas of the Dalgate and Buchwara, Srinagar.”

Since these areas come under the Dachigam-Zabarwan range, she said, they’re the typical habitat of snakes. “But then these creatures would rarely come out,” she said, “as they do now.”

Aaliya Mir rescuing viper  

Aaliya is Kashmir’s sole woman wildlife rescuer who has helped the wildlife department rescue the reptiles and release them in their natural habitat for decades.

“I usually rescue rat-snakes and Himalayan trinkets which are non-venomous species, while Levantine Viper commonly known as “Gunas” is the most poisonous and are mostly found in residential areas.”

Levantine vipers are capable of lightning-fast strikes when provoked and will give out a warning hiss before striking, she said. “This snake is highly aggressive, so we had to resort to great caution while extricating over three Levantine vipers from Srinagar in a single day.”

According to Wildlife SOS—a non-profit body established in 1998 “with the primary objective of rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in distress across India”—one Levantine viper was even rescued from the former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s residence.

Among the other crawling catches of this summer, was an Indian rat snake rescued at the periphery of Srinagar city. It had fallen into a deep pit.

But while these snakes are coming out of their holes like never before this year, the question, many ask, is how Kashmir is suddenly witnessing such a reptile rush?

The Himalayan Trinket being treated by the Wildlife SOS team.

Five years ago, Aaliya said, snake sightings were quite rare in Kashmir. But since the temperature is increasing, she said, snakes come out from the burrows to maintain their body temperature.

Snakes go deep into their burrows for brumation—a form of hibernation in snakes—to regulate the warmth during winters.

And since they cannot regulate their internal body temperature, snakes do not come to the surface during the colder months of March and April. “They remain underground to keep themselves warm, and only surface in summers for natural sunlight and heat.”

But this year, Aaliya said, the human-induced climate change resulted in a quick switch from winter to summer and forced snakes come out early to escalate the human-reptile conflict.

“Our helpline starts receiving snake rescue calls generally from the month of May,” she said. “But this year, due to the excessive heat and the lack of rainfall, there’s a high probability that the brumation of the snakes was shorter, forcing them to come out of their burrows earlier.”

Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now

Be Part of Quality Journalism

Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast.

ACT NOW
MONTHLYRs 100
YEARLYRs 1000
LIFETIMERs 10000

CLICK FOR DETAILS

Share9Tweet6SendShare2ShareSend
Previous Post

Paramilitary Man Shoots 3 Colleagues, Kills Self in Udhampur

Next Post

Fake Sim Card Racket Busted In North Kashmir’s Bandipora, 1 Held: Police

Auqib Javeed

Auqib Javeed

Auqib Javeed is special correspondent with Kashmir Observer and tweets @AuqibJaveed

Related Posts

First C-295 Aircraft Inducted Into IAF
REGIONAL

First C-295 Aircraft Inducted Into IAF

SC Spurns Plea for Producing Dr Farooq
BOOKS

Political Biography Of Farooq Abdullah Released

Snowfall, Rain Bring Relief To Kashmir After Record High Temperatures
TOP STORIES

Snowfall, Rain Bring Relief To Kashmir After Record High Temperatures

Video: 3rd Party Inspection And Monitoring For Centrally Sponsored Schemes
GALLERIES

Video: 3rd Party Inspection And Monitoring For Centrally Sponsored Schemes

Follow Ideals Of Freedom Fighter Dinkar: LG To Youth
LOCAL

Follow Ideals Of Freedom Fighter Dinkar: LG To Youth

DAK Urges 3 Vaccines To Prevent Triple Virus Threat
HEALTH

DAK Urges 3 Vaccines To Prevent Triple Virus Threat

Next Post
SIA Books SIM Card Vendor In North Kashmir’s Kupwara

Fake Sim Card Racket Busted In North Kashmir's Bandipora, 1 Held: Police

Cop On Mumbai Visit Dies ‘Mysteriously’, Family Suspects Foul Play

Carpenter Falls To Death In South Kashmir's Kulgam

Please login to join discussion

Pages

  • ABOUT US
  • ADVERTISE IN KO
  • ARCHIVE
  • BE PART OF QUALITY JOURNALISM
  • CONTACT
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • INTERNSHIPS AT OBSERVER
  • JOBS@KO
  • KO – Homepage
  • MISSION STATEMENT
  • POLICIES
    • COMMENTING GUIDELINES
    • COOKIE POLICY
    • DISCLAIMER
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS
  • Refund Policy
  • Team

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

No Result
View All Result

FOLLOW US

About Us

The media in Kashmir, comprising a robust English and vernacular press has a particularly unenviable job to do. The problems faced by it are both universal to the conflict situations and unique to the region. Read More

Advertising

For Advertising on various Kashmir Observer platforms
contact

[email protected]
+91-194-2502327; +91-1947969705

© 1997 -2023 | KASHMIR OBSERVER LLP

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
    • TOP STORIES
    • LOCAL
    • CITY
    • REGIONAL
    • WORLD
  • IN DEPTH
    • FEATURE
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • OPINION
      • OPINION
      • EDITORIAL
      • KO ANALYSIS
      • LETTERS TO EDITOR
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • INTERVIEW
    • REVIEW
      • BOOKS
    • LONGFORM
  • BUSINESS
    • BUSINESS NEWS
    • MARKET
    • ENERGY
    • HORTICULTURE
    • HANDICRAFTS
    • CARS & BIKES
    • STARTUP KASHMIR
  • SPORT
    • FOOTBAL
    • CRICKET
    • ADVENTURE SPORTS
    • GOLF
    • ATHLETICS
    • SKIING
    • OTHER SPORTS
  • MEDIA
  • PEOPLE
  • CULTURE
    • KHYEN CHYEN
    • ARTS
    • CRAFTS
    • FESTIVALS
    • THEATER
    • LANGAUGE
  • TRAVEL
    • HOUSEBOATS
    • HOTELS
    • ANGLING
    • CAMPING
    • DESTINATION FOCUS
  • SOCIETY
    • EDUCATION
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • GENDER
    • YOUTH
    • CHILD WELFARE
  • LITERATURE
    • SHORT STORY
    • BOOKS
    • NARRATIVE
  • CINEMA
    • CINEMA & TV
  • ePAPERS
    • BAZAAR OBSERVER
    • YOUNG KASHMIR
    • MIZRAB

© 1997 -2023 | KASHMIR OBSERVER LLP