Mumbai: Trafficked red sand boa faces vision loss

Dr Rina Dev with the red sand boa snake. Pic/RAWW

While forest department officials, members of an NGO and veterinarian Dr Rina Dev, have been making every effort to save the life of a red sand boa rescued from wildlife trafficking two months ago, the snake may soon lose vision in one eye. The boa has been diagnosed with a corneal abscess, likely caused by the use of size-enhancement drugs.

About three months ago, the Cuffe Parade police arrested four individuals attempting to sell the red sand boa, a species highly sought after in the black magic market. The snake was handed over to the Thane-based NGO RAWW in coordination with the Maharashtra Forest Department for treatment and rehabilitation.

Dr Dev said, "As per the latest medical reports, the boa may soon lose its vision from one eye due to a corneal abscess, which is a painful and potentially serious infection caused by bacteria or fungi entering the cornea, the clear outer layer of the eye. Symptoms include redness, swelling, blurred vision and eye discharge. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent vision loss."

The veterinarian explained that the use of size-enhancement drugs, which suppress the immune system and reduce the eye's natural ability to fight infections, is suspected to have caused the boa's condition.

Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden of Thane and President of NGO RAWW, said, "The prognosis for the boa is still guarded, and we are closely monitoring its condition with vets and rehabbers. When the snake was handed over, our team observed that it was constantly oozing a white substance from its mouth and cloaca. Medical reports confirmed the use of size-enhancement drugs or steroids, which caused abnormal growth in the snake's size."

Sharma added that the approximately four-foot-long boa was found to be abnormally overweight, weighing over 5 kg, compared to the usual weight of 1.5-2 kg for boas of this age in the wild. The smugglers admitted to an undercover cop that the snake had previously weighed just over 4 kilograms before the administration of the drugs.

Red sand boas (Eryx johnii), non-venomous and shy constrictor species, are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Any illegal activity involving them is a punishable offence, involving imprisonment and fines. Despite being protected under Schedule IV of the Act, the species is in high demand due to the widespread belief that it brings good luck and fortune. People purchase these snakes for rituals, as they are believed to hold spiritual significance.

Known as "doon tonde" in Marathi and "double engine" among smugglers due to their tail's resemblance to a second head, red sand boas use their tail as a defence mechanism to escape predators.

5KG
The abnormal weight of the boa