Panaji: Goa recorded more than 10,000 snake and reptile rescues, including crocodiles, between May 2025 and 2026, as the forest department’s 24 rescue squads responded to distress calls from across the state, said assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Urvashi Jain on the sidelines of the Wildlife Week celebrations.In all, 11,273 wild animals were rescued during the period. Of these, 10,778 were snakes and other reptiles — an average of 29 snake rescues a day.Jain attributed the spike in rescues to seasonal patterns, saying rescue operations rise sharply during the reptile breeding season. “During this period, snakes and other reptiles are more frequently spotted as they move in search of suitable shelter and, in some cases, enter human habitations,” she said.Residents can report wildlife sightings through the forest department’s dedicated rescue helpline, 1921. Jain said 24 squads operate round the clock and are equipped to reach callers within 30 minutes or less, after which the animals are safely relocated.While the response system is a key part of Goa’s approach to managing encounters between people and wildlife, Jain cautioned against treating higher rescue numbers as evidence of escalating man-animal conflict. “ It just means that people are sighting reptiles more and reporting them frequently,” she said.She added that Goa has long been a landscape of coexistence between people and wildlife, and that the rise in reports is also being driven by social media and the ease of reporting sightings today. At the same time, she noted, coexistence is becoming harder as human settlements expand and wildlife spaces shrink, underscoring the need to build greater awareness — especially among youngsters — about living alongside wildlife.
