Puducherry:
At least 33 hatchlings of the highly venomous Indian Russell's viper, along with the mother snake, were captured alive on Wednesday by forest department staff from the residential premises of the Finance Secretary to Puducherry government and Chief Judge in Puducherry.
A Forest Department official, Kannan, said they received a call from the house of the Finance Secretary Raajiv Yadhuvanshi seeking help when the small snakes were spotted.
Personnel from the forest department caught as many as 33 hatchlings from the residential premises of the Finance Secretary and Chief Judge CS Murugan.
The mother snake was found in a hole close to a pile of bricks, he said.
The hatchlings would be released into their natural habitat a week later while the forest department would retain the mother snake, he said.
This is the second time that forest staff are capturing hatchlings of the Russell's viper. Early last month, 25 such hatchlings and the mother snake were captured alive close to a house at Lawspet near here.
With the hot spell continuing unabated, such movement of the Russell's vipers would be common, Kannan said.