Rare snake rescued in Thane

A rare species of snake, known as Ashok’s bronzeback tree snake, was rescued from an office in Thane on Tuesday evening. The snake is usually found in the south

A rare species of snake, known as Ashok’s bronzeback tree snake, was rescued from an office in Thane on Tuesday evening. The snake is usually found in the south western ghats of India.

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“It is a non-venomous snake. It might have travelled through in a flower carton and reached in the busy market areas of Thane,” said Ameya Malegaonkar, an animal lover from Thane.

The snake is two-foot-long and it was rescued by Malegaonkar and released into the wild.

Malegaonkar said, “The snake was spotted on the ground floor office of Kaalikai Industries India Ltd in Chendani, Thane (W). This is a rare species of snake which was discovered in 2011 and is found in south western ghats, especially in Karnataka. There is a flower market near the office and we believe that the snake must have travelled to the from south India in a flower carton.”

The snake feasts on rodents, lizards and frogs. It is found on trees. “It is not native to Thane and was never rescued here earlier,” said Malegaonkar.