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Home / Agriculture / Human Snake Conflict Inside Coffee Forestsby Dr. Anand Titus and Geeta N. Pereira Page 1 | Page 2 CONSERVATION AT JOE’S SUSTAINABLE FARM, KIREHULLY ESTATEWe have spent a great deal of time on public awareness and education aimed at helping University Professors, staff, students, local farmers and workers in understanding first hand , the significant value of snakes and their role in balancing the energy flows inside shade grown coffee. The translocation of poisonous snakes to safe habitats is a common practice for managing human snake conflict at Joe's ecofriendly coffee farm. Most importantly, when poisonous snakes are sited on the farm, especially during the mating season, we bring our staff and workers to the site and enlighten them on the importance of snakes in maintaining a healthy eco system.
The impact of this management has yielded tremendous response. Today, if any snake is sighted in the KIREHULLY VILLAGE, word is sent to us, so that the snake is either translocated to safer habitats, ( poisonous ) or else simply allowed to go its way, if it is nonpoisonous. Many coffee farmers have given us a feed back saying that due to the conservation efforts; they are in a good position to identify the poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes. This is especially true when it comes to the common rat snake and cobra. Both look alike and often the rat snake is mistaken as a cobra.
The rat snake is in fact longer and thinner with a pointed head and prominent eyes. The cobra has a more roundish head. The more information people have about snakes, the less they perceive them as threat. INDIAN COBRA: Naja naja
The Indian cobra is also referred to as the spectacled cobra.
The rear of the head shows a connected pair of rings joined by a single line, giving the appearance of a pair of spectacles.
Adult cobras can grow to a length of two meters. Indian cobras are oviparous and lay eggs between the months of April and July. The female lays 12-30 eggs and incubates them for almost two months till they hatch. Newly hatched young ones have active venom glands and tend to disperse one or two weeks after hatching. When cobras feel threatened they spread their hood as a defense.
COMMON INDIAN KRAIT: Bungarus caeruleus This snake in particular is considered as one of the most poisonous snakes inside coffee plantations. Its head is slightly wider than the neck; body is jet black above with distinct white cross lines, belly is white.
The snake varies in length from three feet up to five feet. It is often observed on the floor of the coffee forest where thick weed growth occurs. It also inhabits low scrub jungles and newly cultivated coffee farms. The diet consists of Lizards and rodents VENOM: The venom is 15 times more toxic than that of a cobra and acts both as neurotoxin and haemotoxin, paralyzing the respiratory centre. Egg layers. Males are larger than Females. VIPER:These snakes are categorized as RUSSELL’S Viper & PIT vipers.
Russell’s viper is commonly observed inside coffee forests. It is brown with deep elliptical patches that run in three rows. They are active both during the day and night. The diet consists of Lizards, scorpions, crabs and rodents.
VENOM: The venom of Russell’s viper is considered as one of the most dangerous of all Indian snakes. The venom has a direct effect on the blood stream. CONCLUSIONTwo key components of the coffee ecosystem are essential for the survival of snakes inside coffee forests. The large number of diverse trees provides adequate shelter, shade and biomass for both prey and predator. Snakes together with the associated under bush allows for the deeper connection between the two. The coffee landscape and the forest environment are of supreme importance to both snakes and prey and the ability to survive in the environment where it lives will determine its success or failure as an individual species.
The rise in logging inside the coffee forests has reduced the habitat for both prey and predator. The rate of deforestation is accelerating and there is a growing threat of further degradation and fragmentation of the coffee habitat. The resulting loss of habitat has badly affected the flora and fauna of the region. The second important factor responsible for declining snake populations is the relentless use of pesticide and chemicals which has wiped out most of the prey species (frogs, toads, lizards, rodents, geckos)
We have worked on coffee ecology for more than two decades and our observations point out to two very interesting facts. Firstly, snake species are decreasing at an alarming rate and secondly, the snake species surviving are the ones that belong to the nonpoisonous species. Due to shrinking habitats, venomous snake populations are disappearing right in front of our eyes. Some rare species are in the fear of dying out.
The coffee forests are unique and we need an urgent action plan to better protect the flora and fauna of the region. If nothing is done soon, some of the rare species could disappear from the face of the earth. REFERENCESineedcoffee.com/by/dr._anand_titus_and_geeta_n._pereira/ ineedcoffee.com/07/coffee-forests/ Daniel. J. C. 2000. The book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians. BNHS/Oxford University Press, Bombay. Page 1 | Page 2 Tags: snake |
