Snake tongs or forceps are used mostly by amateur snake-handlers to restrict the movement of the snake’s head, by trapping the head of the animal between the pincers. “For the price of a few hundred rupees, snake tongs can be purchased online by anyone. N. Sadiq Ali, from the Nilgiris, said that often staff from the Fire Department were called to rescue snakes. “Only trained staff or rescuers notified by the Forest Department should be allowed to rescue snakes, if the situation requires. And the use of snake tongs as a handling tool in general needs to be discouraged,” he added.

Source: The Hindu July 07, 2021 10:02 UTC