Udupi: Akshay N Shet, a software engineer and founder of Udupi Snake in the City, is dedicated to rescuing and releasing snakes and other wildlife in and around the district.
Over the last four years, Shet has successfully rescued more than 800 snakes, including spectacled cobras, Russell’s vipers, Indian rock pythons, common krait checkered keelbacks, rat snakes, kukri snakes and many more venomous and non-venomous snakes found in this region.
Shet, who hails from Gundibail and works with Robosoft Technologies, told TOI: “I have formed a trust, Udupi Snake in the City. I receive calls either from the forest department or directly through our social media pages. Our main aim is to educate people about snakes and human conflicts and to spread awareness that snakes are very much part of the ecosystem and we can coexist.”
Whenever there are critical rescues, Shet collaborates with the Manipal Rescue Team. He said that he has always been passionate about serving his country and initially hoped to play cricket for India. He has played for Mangalore Zone and district-level competitive cricket in Bengaluru. However, he later realised the importance of environmental conservation and felt that contributing to it was a way to serve his country. “This realisation led me to focus on wildlife rescue. I assist the forest department with various rescues and foster abandoned baby squirrels,” he said.
Shet conducts each rescue with meticulous planning. Upon receiving a call, he studies the location. He prioritises the calls and schedules the rescues accordingly, most of which happen in the evening and late at night. Although he has been rescuing animals for a long time, he formally organised his rescue efforts during the Covid-19.
He recalls a particularly challenging rescue involving a 12-foot python stuck in a 45-foot deep well last year.
“I had to get into the well myself and catch hold of the python with one hand while climbing out with the other. The water was too muddy to see where the head was. It took me five attempts to finally rescue the snake,” he said. Shet said that rescues require risk-taking ability and knowledge about snakes.
“There should be an intent to do something. We are going to schools and colleges to spread awareness, particularly targeting govt schools. Snakes have their territory, and releasing them too far away can be detrimental. We also rescue snakes with injuries, especially those hurt by road accidents, earth movers, grass-cutting equipment, nets and wells. We coordinate with Dr Yashaswi Naravi and Dr Meghana Pemmaiah for medical assistance,” he added.
