When I got home at about 9.30 tonight, my next door neighbor rang up to say that there was a visitor in their house and the dog was creating a ruckus and they were too scared to come out. My wife Bibian went to see why Tyson was screaming and she discovered a snake ensconced in their door. Being a friend of Tyson the dog, Bibian managed to drive him away and called out to me saying there was a snake there.
>From the markings and the sluggish behavior of the snake, I surmised it was a Russell's viper. Now that's a particularly poisonous chap and neither being the particularly brave sort nor wanting to clobber the fellow to death in any case, I called up a good friend who suggested we Google for snake catchers in Goa. On http://www.goa-world.com/goa/rahulsnakepit/The%20Creepy%20times%207.htm there was a list of snake catchers both Forest Dept. and others. The Forest Dept. number didn't seem to work (maybe they have changed) so I tried Sunil Korajkar of Green Cross 9822123042. He took my number and this 20+something chap in jeans found my place in Moira which is some 5 kms from Mapusa in about 15 minutes. He confirmed it was a Russell's viper and asked for a tin and although the viper was not particularly cooperative he cornered him quite quickly with his bare hands and dropped him into the tin. I thought he was a pretty smart and efficient chap and exuded quiet confidence in his abilities. And I'd recommend him to anyone placed in a similar situation. Cheers Augusto -- Augusto Pinto 40, Novo Portugal, Moira, Bardez, Goa, India E [email protected] or [email protected] P 0832-2470336 M 9881126350
