Delhi: Snake, kite rescued from assembly

NEW DELHI: A royal snake and a fledgling kite were rescued by NGO Wildlife SOS from Delhi Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) at north Delhi’s Civil Lines on Wednesday.
According to the NGO, they were contacted by the maintenance staff of Delhi Vidhan Sabha, on the 24-hour rescue helpline, about a snake that was found on the premises.
“The reptile made an appearance in the kitchen unit. Two trained rescuers rushed to the location and identified the snake as a juvenile blackheaded royal snake (Spalerosophis atriceps), also known as a diadem snake. The team carefully extricated the snake from the kitchen area and transferred it into a safe transport carrier,” an NGO official said.
Around the same time, security personnel stumbled upon a fledging kite in the lawns. The bird had collapsed due to exhaustion and dehydration. Both animals were kept under observation for a few hours and were later released back into the wild.
Wasim Akram, deputy director-special projects, Wildlife SOS, said, “Reptiles being cold-blooded are often forced to seek reprieve from the heat in cooler spaces. The rising temperature has also taken a toll on the avian population. With summers fast approaching, we are gravely concerned about the effect it will have on them. Most of these birds are still young and easily fall victim to the heat due to dehydration, exhaustion and lack of shade.”