Common Krait Coiled After Bath for Photo Session
This Common Krait Bungarus caeruleus (deadliest Indian snake, known to be 15 times more venomous than a cobra), was rescued from a house and rehabilitated in the wild, after modeling for a brief photo session. It had to be given bath during the photo session, as the dust particles were showing up with macro lens, so these droplets on the snake.
Usually, I do a photo session with rescued snakes, before their relocation in the wild. I use Canon 20D and 30D, Canon 180 mm L series macro, Canon 100 mm macro, etc. Always, I consider safety of paramount concern, I may miss my planned shots, but no fooling around with snakes beyond a limit. I respect and fear them as I did when I had not known them so well, rather I dread snakes much more now, for I know how complicated a snakebite can get. I have seen and heard about some of the snake handlers getting bitten and then leaving the world forever, foolish ! It happens, when one gets over-confident about snakes and starts handling them as if they are a machine under control.
Snakes are known for `making great escapes and giving surprises all the time’. So, be extra careful when you have snakes with you. Also, one should not trouble them beyond a certain point while doing photo session and respect them for their `right to live’ in peace.
Here, I was about 12-18 inches from this snake, while photographing. The snake, model for the photo session, was hanging on my snake hook for `pre-makeup’ wash for the shoot. After the wash, it was looking so beautiful that I did few shots while it was resting on the snake handling hook. The `catch’ is – no sudden movements next to snake which is modeling for you; they perceive threat from our movements and may bite, if well within the striking range. To know more about snakes, please click on the link The Snake Cell
The Snake Cell is to help people understand about snakes and snakebite, and their role in ecology of this planet and our environment. It has remained as a self-funded project for ten years now.
To know more about the author Capt Suresh Sharma