Dear nettekars, Saligao's Green Cross members, Griselda Nobay, Tarika & Suhail Kiran conducted a snake awareness programme on 6 May 2009, at the Children's Summer Camp, Mae de Deus parish, Saligao. The camp was conducted by a small band of dedicated youth.
Green Crossers Alfred D'mello from Nagoa and Mario Mascarenhas from Saligao answered questions and assisted in the live handling of a Buff Striped Keelback, 2 Rat snakes, a Python and 2 Cobras. Using a slide show with Dean & Alice D'Cruz's LCD projector, Griselda, Tarika & Suhail taught participants to identify the 4 venomous and various non-venomous snakes of the 54 species in Goa. While 5 year olds and teenagers alike independently handled the gentle, non-venomous Buff Striped Keelback, a common garden snake found in the village, all were quite excited to get their first touch of a Python and Rat snake which the 3 young Green Crossers expertly handled. The Cobras were treated with a lot more respect and from a safe distance, the 70 campers viewed them with the right mix of fear and fascination . Incidentally, the Buff Striped Keelback and a Ratsnake were caught at Tina's (Allwyn and Jude D'Souza's sister) and Maurice 'Budza' Britto's houses respectively, in Saligao itself. The Green Crossers invited participants to help save Saligao's and Goa's environment by learning to identify, handle and rescue snakes that stray into human habitats. For those interested, they offered to conduct training programmes, in the village itself. Griselda Nobay from Donvaddo, one of Goa's few women snake handlers, who was also the Camp Coordinator, is the person to contact. Snake lovers from outside Saligao are also welcome. The next message contains the Snakesheet that the Green Crossers distributed. It was compiled by Tarika and Suhail's 'anOTHERskool'. In slithering solidarity! M&M. -- ................................................................. there *is* anOTHERgoa @ <www.anothergoa.blogspot.com> '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' muriel & mario, 4/4 tabravaddo, opp. st. anne's chapel, saligao. bardez. goa. 403511. tel: 0832-2278276 / 2409999 <[email protected]> '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
