From cattle to snakes: How volunteers saved animals in flood-hit regions
With most of the aid and rescue efforts focused on people in the flooded areas, a small group of volunteers took it upon themselves to save the voiceless and helpless animals
The flood water had started to recede. Mamun Kawsar got a call from an unknown number. "There's a snake under the bed sheet in our house," said the voice on the other end, a tone of urgency in the caller's voice evident.
Mamun, a volunteer for Deep Ecology and Snake Conservation Foundation (DESCF), and his team began packing their equipment, ready for a rescue op.
Upon arriving there, the team safely rescued the snake and released it into the forest.
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As floodwaters surged through the eastern part of Bangladesh, devastating countless human lives, livestock, pets, strays, and wild creatures also suffered greatly. But the majority of aid and rescue efforts were focused on the people.
Of the four most affected districts, Feni suffered the greatest losses in livestock — almost Tk400 crore in monetary terms, as per a report of the Feni District Livestock Department.
The losses of livestock in the other three districts — Noakhali, Lakshmipur, and Cumilla — are also enormous. A large number of cows, goats, and lambs succumbed to the persistent rising water and food shortage since floods hit the regions a month ago. Countless numbers of hens, ducks, and pigeons and other domestic birds also perished.
"During floods, two major crises arise regarding snakes. Firstly, snakes seek refuge in human settlements and secondly, there is a need for the safe rescue of the snakes."
However, the calculation of losses did not extend to wildlife or strays.
Those wild animals that managed to keep their heads above water suffered from the food crisis. Stray cats and dogs, mostly dependent on the leftovers, could not manage to feed themselves either and many starved.
But a dedicated group of volunteers and rescuers, such as DESCF, stepped forward to save these helpless animals, from livestock to wild and stray creatures.
In the beginning, as water levels rose, various species of snakes took shelter in human habitats as their nests had been flooded.
Md Mahfuzur Rahman, the founder and president of DESCF, said, "During floods, two major crises arise regarding snakes. Firstly, snakes seek refuge in human settlements and secondly, there is a need for the safe rescue of the snakes."
Initially, the organisation used their online platforms to raise awareness among people regarding snakes, snake-bites, and the dos and don'ts after getting bitten by a snake. Later on, their volunteers teamed up to rescue the snakes that had entered the houses of people to save both the people and the animals.
Mahfuz is also the executive director of People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation. In coordination with the Feni branch of DESCF, PAW Foundation initiated a program to provide a week's worth of food for domestic cattle owned by marginalised people.
DESCF is mainly run by the donations from its volunteers, along with some regular donors. On the other hand, PAW Foundation receives donations from the public, primarily through social media campaigns.
"When the floodwaters rose very high, we were disconnected from the rest of the country. A few volunteers and I went to the places where people took shelter to raise awareness about the risk of snake bites," said Mamun.
There were incidents where people did get bitten by snakes, although most of them were non-venomous. "We went to the remote areas of Feni and Cumilla and taught people how to differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes," added Mamun.
"When the floodwater began to recede, snakes were still in people's houses. We circulated our helpline number all around Feni," he further said.
Their efforts resulted in the successful rescue of a few snakes, monitor lizards, and more than 30 dogs and cats. The volunteers also provided food and medical care to domestic animals with the help of the PAW Foundation.
DESCF's awareness campaign also resulted in snake-bit people going to hospitals instead of seeking help from a local 'ojha'.
Rayhan Golap, a student from Dhaka University and a volunteer for the Manush Manusher Jonyo Foundation, accompanied a team from Rajshahi University to help animals affected by the floods.
His team, consisting of expert veterinarians, gave treatment and food to cattle, goats and lambs.
"Most of the affected animals got hurt during the flood and many suffered from hookworms and malnutrition due to the lack of food for a prolonged period of time," said Rayhan.
