Thiruvananthapuram:
Animal rights activists yesterday urged Kerala government to organise awareness programmes highlighting the significance of reptile conservation to mark the "National Reptile Awareness Day".
Heritage Animal Taskforce said the "National Reptile Awareness Day", which falls on Tuesday, should be observed as per the recommendations of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to create awareness about reptile conservation among people.
"As per the recommendations of IUCN, October 21 is to be observed as Reptile Awareness Day. But in Kerala, where all types of reptiles are largely ill-treated, the state government is not organising any programme to mark this important day," the organisation said in a statement in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
"As reptiles thrive in every part of the world except Antarctica, every Indian must know the importance of preserving their habitat," it said.
Due to the lack of awareness, people largely encroach into habitats of reptiles in many parts of India, particularly in Kerala, leading to problems, it said.