Snakebite deaths in Odisha’s Angul fall from triple to double digits through community rescue efforts

Biplab Mahapatra, a former crime reporter and professional climber who spent years trekking in Himachal Pradesh, has transformed wildlife conservation in the Angul district of Odisha. According to The Better India, Mahapatra’s transition to full-time animal rescue began with a single python in 2011. The large snake had eaten a villager's goat and was about to be killed before Biplab intervened. This rescue inspired the 2013 formal registration of the organization now known as "Rangers," which Biplab started with three others, including a senior and two friends.

The impact of the organization is reflected in district medical data, which indicates that annual snakebite deaths in Angul have dropped from over 100 to double digits over the last five years. Mahapatra’s approach emphasizes that "the rescue is not the solution" on its own; instead, the group focuses on community education to address dangerous misinformation. Through the "Save Snakes, Save Humans" program, Rangers has reached 40 to 50 schools to debunk common myths, such as the beliefs that snakes can take photographs with their eyes, drink milk, seek revenge as a nag-nagin pair, or carry money in their heads.

Rangers now operates with approximately 50 volunteers, including Mahapatra’s childhood friend Manoj Vishwakarma, who left a career at Bosch in Bengaluru to lead the domestic animal wing. The team handles a wide range of wildlife, including monkeys, civet cats, turtles, monitor lizards, and birds. Every rescue follows a strict protocol where rescuers arrive with hooks and bags, identify the species, and assess the safest extraction method. One notable rescue involved a 15-foot python that fell into a 30-foot well, which nearly choked Mahapatra before his team could free him. The team tracks these rescues through geotagging and coordinates with the Forest Department for release.

The work is not without significant personal risk. Mahapatra was once hospitalized for five days in a Cuttack ICU after a bite from a highly venomous banded krait, an experience that highlighted how many victims delay treatment by turning to faith healers. He has also faced gunfire from poachers while assisting the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in cases involving spotted deer and elephants. Despite these dangers, Mahapatra has earned two entries in the Limca Book of Records and national recognition for a 12-minute snake awareness film. His mission remains the promotion of coexistence, building a network of people dedicated to balancing the safety of humans and wildlife.

Why it matters: Empowering local communities with factual knowledge and safety protocols can drastically reduce mortality rates for both humans and wildlife in high-conflict zones.

Editor's note: The draft provides a comprehensive and accurate account of Biplab Mahapatra's work, capturing the narrative arc and the specific statistics provided in the source.