Snakecell

Funds

Since its inception, the Snake Cell has remained a self-funded activity, except for once when the Chief Wildlife Warden of Chandigarh extended help by issuing Rs 1,50,000 towards the annual expenditure for 2004-5.  Funds have been raised with the sale of wildlife T-shirts, silver jewelry, greeting cards and special interest tours  Wildhiss Ecotours

Apart from this, the single largest contribution has been by Ms Mary Barber, USA, who has done highly commendable contribution by doing seven package tours in India, with us and presented all the equipment worth US$ 15,000.

Capt Suresh Sharm and Dr Rajbir Kaur have invested Rs 26,00,000 (US$ 56,521) for the running and equipping the Snake Cell, so far. Which is an unprecedented example in this field of nature conservation, as a self-funded project.

In 2005, Mr K Koshy, Director General Police, Director Vigilance of Haryana State, presented a digital SLR Canon 20D to Snake Cell. One day, he saw Capt Suresh Sharma struggling to photograph flickering tongue of a common krait, with Canon Powershot G5, he advised Capt Sharma to buy a digital SLR to keep safe distance from a venomous snake and to capture such fast action easily with DSLR. As he considered shooting snakes with Powershoot G5, as highly risky and dangerous. Capt Sharma told him that Snake Cell does not have funds at present and will buy one DSLR sometime in future. Mr K Koshy did not wait to buy a Canon 20D for the Snake Cell. Now, it is being put to use to photograph snakes and other subjects.

TOTAL Rs 40,40,000     (US$ 90,000 approx.)