Kukri snake rescued from Dwarka Sector 21 metro station

According to Wildlife SOS, the NGO that rescued the reptile, the presence of this unusual passenger on platform no. 3 at a rather peak time at 10.30 am caused panic among commuters

A common kukri snake was rescued from the Dwarka Sector 21 metro station on Monday.

The common kukri snake rescued from the Dwarka Sector 21 metro station on Monday.

According to Wildlife SOS, the NGO that rescued the reptile, the presence of this unusual passenger on platform no. 3 at a rather peak time at 10.30 am caused panic among commuters.

“Startled by the sight of a snake on the Sector 21 metro station premises, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) authorities alerted us. A two-member rescue team was sent to the location. They identified the snake as a juvenile common kukri (oligodon arnensis) also known as the banded kukri,” an official of the NGO said.

A crowd of curious onlookers had gathered around the platform. The rescue team removed the snake and put it into a transport container.

The snake is under observation and will be reintroduced to its natural habitat once deemed fit for release.

Kukris are non-venomous snakes but are often mistaken for the highly venomous common krait , which it closely resembles.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said, “This particular species preys on insects, larvae, reptile eggs, small rodents. The kukri gets its name because of its sharp, curved teeth that resembles a ‘kukri knife’ that is used for slicing reptile eggs.”