Two pythons rescued in Rajbari
"The farm owner passionately kept the two pythons in his possession. He was unaware about the law"
A few years ago, a private-run television channel featured on Rabiul Islam Ranju's snake farm. The farm, located at Kalukhali upazila under Rajbari district, hatched several snake species for exporting snake venom.
However, on 2 January, a team of Forest Department's Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) raided Rabiul's snake farm and rescued two Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus): one 14-feet long and another 13.5-feet long.
According to Wildlife (conservation and security) Act 2012, possessing, hatching, and trading of python is prohibited.
"The farm – founded three years ago – was left almost abandoned as most of the snakes had died. The farm owner passionately kept the two pythons in his possession. He was unaware about the law," said Nargis Sultana, wildlife inspector.
WCCU director ASM Jahir Uddin Akon led the raid. South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) – a regional inter-governmental wildlife law enforcement support body – recently informed WCCU about the farm.
Deep Ecology and Snake Rescue Foundation volunteers were also present during the rescue drive.
