Mumbai, Jul 15 (PTI) A rescued red sand boa snake, a nonvenomous and protected species, gave birth to nine live young ones here on Monday, said a wildlife welfare group representative.
The snake was severely injured, dehydrated and under starvation when it was seized by the Mumbai unit of the Maharashtra forest department while being trafficked. Since then, the reptile was undergoing treatment and rehabilitation at a centre of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare, he said.
Red Sand Boas are one of the most trafficked species across India in the name of blind faith and superstitious rituals due to which they command high price in the black market, said Pawan Sharma, founder-president of the association and an honorary wildlife warden with the forest department.
This is a viviparous species of snake which directly gives birth to young ones unlike other common species which are known for laying eggs, he explained The young ones will be soon released in the wild at an undisclosed location as they can survive on their own, said the wildlife activist.
Trading and possessing the red sand boa violate the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). PTI ZA RSY
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