Snake sighted on 11th floor flat near Mumbai's SGNP, rescued safely

Ankit Vyas holding the Forsten’s Cat Snake. PIC/ Ankit Vyas

Wildlife lover and volunteer of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Ankit Vyas, received a call from a resident of a high-rise at Mumbai's Borivali East, located right on the boundary of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), about a snake inside their house on the 11th floor.

"On reaching the spot, I found a beautiful grey-morphed Forsten's Cat Snake (Boiga forsteni), about 4.5 to 5 feet long. I educated the family and other residents about the species, safely rescued it, informed the forest officials, and released it back into the core forest area. Forsten's Cat Snakes are mildly venomous but not dangerous to humans. They are arboreal, nocturnal, and often seek dry, safe places during heavy rains, which could explain how it ended up at such a height," said Vyas.