CUDDALORE: A rare cat snake (genus Boiga) was rescued by snake catcher and rescuer V Selvam alias Chellaa near a residential hamlet at Kandakkadu in the Kundu Uppalavadi area in Cuddalore district on Monday.Chellaa said it was only the second recorded instance of a cat snake being spotted and rescued in Cuddalore district. The rescued snake measured about two feet. Chellaa released the snake in the nearby suitable, thickly vegetated habitat.The residents of the hamlet spotted the snake nestled among bushes and immediately alerted Chellaa, who reached the spot within a few minutes and rescued the snake without harming the reptile.Commonly referred to as the “cat snake”, it is predominantly arboreal, spending most of its time on trees and in thick bushes and dense foliage near residential areas. The species earns its name from its prominent, vertically elliptical pupils that closely resemble the eyes of a cat.Cat snakes are primarily nocturnal, becoming active after dusk to hunt for prey. Their diet mainly consists of garden lizards, small frogs and birds.Cat snakes are rear-fanged and possess mild venom used to subdue small prey. Their venom is generally considered low-risk and non-lethal to humans. However, experts advise that any snakebite should be handled with medical care and not ignored.Chellaa was an assistant to J Poonam Chand Viyas, 40, who had captured thousands of snakes in a span of 10 to 12 years in Cuddalore and neighbouring districts. Viyas died of snakebite in Cuddalore in March 2017.
