Mumbai’s top snake-man falls to cobra attack
October 25th, 2009 - 9:35 pm ICT by IANSMumbai, Oct 25 (IANS) Mumbai’s well-known snake-catcher and conservationist Sunil S. Ranade, credited with rescuing over 15,000 snakes in the past 15 years, died after he was bitten by a cobra Sunday, an official said.
Ranade, 37, was rescuing snakes, reptiles and other wild creatures since over two decades. He was working as animal inspector with the 136-year old Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in its Parel hospital, according to Col. J. C. Khanna, the SPCA secretary.
“Yesterday (Saturday), he had rescued a cobra from somewhere and had kept it in a container in his home in the hospital premises. Around 2.30 a.m., he had gone to feed the creature when it suddenly attacked him. It’s a truly an unfortunate incident.” Khanna, a member of Animal Welfare Board of India, told IANS.
At the time of the incident, his wife with their two daughters - aged 10 and 3 - had gone to his father-in-law’s home in Malad suburb.
Hearing a commotion from Ranade’s quarters, some neighbours and other staffers rushed there to see him lying semi-conscious and writhing in pain.
They summoned an ambulance and shifted him to a nearby hospital where he succumbed after a few minutes.
“He was an expert on reptiles, especially snakes. He even had emergency vaccines and a pump to remove poison at home. Despite all precautions, we are sad that he met his end in this manner,” Khanna said.
The incident is akin to the death of the famous Australian conservationist Steve Irwin in September 2006 when he was shooting for a Discovery Channel programme undersea when a poisonous stingray (fish) attacked him. Steve died later.
Khanna assured Ranade’s family that since he was the sole breadwinner, the organisation would provide all necessary assistance to his surviving family members.
Ranade was the first person Mumbaikars would contact in case of any encounters with reptiles or other wild creatures in and around the city.
During the great Mumbai floods of July 26, 2005, Ranade had rescued nearly 100 snakes from different parts of the city and after treating them, released them in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
- Slash launches wildlife charity - Aug 24, 2012
- Leopard pays a visit to Hema Malini's bungalow - May 27, 2011
- Man loses $49K worth collection of poisonous snakes - Feb 27, 2012
- Egyptian cobra escapes from Bronx zoo - Mar 29, 2011
- 'Punish Thane man for illegally possessing snakes' - Apr 11, 2012
- Sea horses recovered from Agra warehouse - Apr 05, 2012
- Man bitten by pet snake, dies - Aug 06, 2010
- World's deadliest snake found in Essex - Aug 31, 2012
- Spell casting python 'fixing' World Cup matches seized in South Africa! - Jul 06, 2010
- Man with 250 rare animals caught in Argentina - Dec 27, 2011
- Cobra rescued from premises of Odisha secretariat - Mar 03, 2012
- Snake causes panic in Kolkata hospital - Aug 12, 2012
- Snake dies of silicone poisoning after biting model's 'enhanced' breast - Mar 15, 2011
- Man arrested for trying to smuggle 50 snakes on a plane - Nov 17, 2011
- Nepali man bites snake to death in revenge attack - Aug 23, 2012
Tags: animal welfare board, breadwinner, commotion, conservationist, cruelty to animals, discovery channel, hospital premises, mumbai floods, nearby hospital, necessary assistance, poisonous stingray, prevention of cruelty to animals, snake catcher, snake man, spca, staffers, steve irwin, stingray fish, surviving family, unfortunate incident