Tripura: King Cobras forced to leave forest owing to food crisis, threatened natural habitats

In the recent past, Tripura has witnessed the successful rescue of venomous King Cobra snakes from different parts of the state, which has raised concerns for the state’s Forest Department as well as the state government.
 
Initially, the King Cobra, which typically resides deep within the forest, is now being rescued from local habitats, including markets, houses, and other places where people live.
 
On October 8th of this year, forest officials in Gabtali village, located in the South District, rescued a King Cobra. On October 27th, another King Cobra was rescued from Sanichara in the North district, which shares its border with Assam and Mizoram.
 
Although the presence of the King Cobra was not common knowledge for the general public in the state, it was surprising to see these venomous snakes venturing out of their natural habitat in search of food.
 
Speaking exclusively with India Today NE, Jayaditya Purkayastha, a Zoologist and herpetologist in Northeast India, mentioned that there were no reports of king cobra snake sightings from people to forest officials previously. Snakes were often killed when discovered.

"However, due to some reason, awareness has been raised, and people have stopped killing snakes, especially King Cobra. Some individuals have also established themselves as snake rescuers. This has led to increased reporting," he said.
 
He also pointed out that finding King Cobras in human habitats indicates that the natural habitats of these snakes are in danger due to human activities. As a result, the primary food source for these venomous snakes is being disrupted.
 
"Because they are unable to find their food, they are leaving the forested areas and entering human habitats in search of food, especially rat snakes and trinket snakes," Purkayastha informed the correspondent.
 
In the Northeast, Mizoram and Lumding in Assam, which share borders with Tripura, have the highest number of King Cobras.
 
In Tripura, on April 9th of this year, a 15-foot-tall King Cobra was rescued from Panisagar in the North district. On May 20th, 2020, another one was rescued from Chandrapur in Agartala city.

Although King Cobras are found throughout the state, the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Tripura's South District, has the highest concentration of these snakes.
 
A senior forest official, who preferred not to be named, stated that before 2006, people in Tripura were not aware of the presence of King Cobras in the state, as they were commonly referred to as 'Kalantor'.
 
"Prior to 2006, when people encountered them, they used to kill them. However, now due to increased awareness, people understand that it is a King Cobra," he said.
 
The official also mentioned that, unlike most other snakes that live in and around human settlements, the favorite habitat of the King Cobra is the deep forest, along with the Python.
 
"The recent rescue of the King Cobra took place in Gabtali, which is a small forested area. Now, people are encroaching on their land, and in the last four to five years, it has become more noticeable to people," the official added.
 
He emphasized that the main reason for King Cobras venturing out of the forest is because their natural habitat is under threat, and people's awareness of their presence has increased.