Busting reptile myths

BENGALURU: Bengalureans, pack your bags for an interesting weekend at Agumbe. Reason?  Herpetologist Gowri Shankar who has been known to break myths and misconceptions  around snakes is set to host ‘King Cobra Bionomics and Conservation Workshop’ at Kalinga Centre For Rainforest Ecology (KCRE) on March 6. The two-day session will focus on creating awareness on the species and will comprise presentations, walks in the rainforest, interaction with villagers and experts to help people understand the ecology of the species and people’s perception.

“The bigger focus is to attract attention towards King Cobras as flagship species and a top predator in the reptile world. We are also going to discuss other venomous and non-venomous species, such as rat snakes in Agumbe. Participants might be taken for live rescue, if any, and will also be shown the problems faced by the species, such as habitat destruction. We will focus on how people coexist with the species, which can be replicated in Mizoram, Kerala or any King Cobra habitat. Participants will also be educated on the natural history of the species, who are the only ones to build a nest. People will also learn how to make a nest for the same,” says Shankar, adding that myths and misconceptions such as snakes consuming milk and superstitious beliefs often put the species at risk, which  the workshop aims to create awareness on.

Apart from this, Shankar is also hosting Scientific Training on Reptile Management, a specially curated workshop for children to help them learn about reptiles from scratch, through theory sessions, activities, herp walks, up-close observation of reptiles at Bannerghatta Zoo on April 5. “For kids, we make it more simple but they are better learners than adults. The focus will be on reptiles in general and snakes in particular. We don’t have conflicts with turtles or crocodiles when it comes to big cities. When people bump into snakes, they kill them because of ignorance. We create awareness on venomous and non-venomous snakes, whether they are v, and how one should respond during situations,” says Shankar, adding that kids will be taken to Bannerghatta National Park to show them several species and their living habitat, which will be followed by an activity of identifying a species using the shed skin.