In Coimbatore, a woman faced legal action by the Forest Department for capturing a snake and uploading the video on social media without permission, putting wildlife at risk.
Coimbatore: The Forest Department in Coimbatore District has announced a case against a woman named Uma, who recorded a video of herself capturing a snake in the Puliyakulam region. The incident occurred a few days ago when Uma and Abdul Rahman, a local volunteer, found an 8-foot-long rat snake in a residential area.
This action followed shortly after the volunteers had safely rescued the snake and handed it over to the Coimbatore forest officials, who then released it back into the forest. Despite the non-venomous nature of rat snakes, the officials have taken legal steps against Uma for capturing and handling the snake without appropriate permissions and then posting the ordeal online, which went viral on social media.
Following the investigation, both Uma and Abdul Rahman were presented before a magistrate by the Forest Department officials. After the inquiry, considering their intention was based on goodwill, both volunteers were released on their own recognizance. The video posting has sparked extensive discussions on wildlife protection and the legal responsibilities of citizens on social media. The District Forest Ranger commented that such activities by untrained individuals should be discouraged to prevent harm to both the wildlife and the individuals.
This action followed shortly after the volunteers had safely rescued the snake and handed it over to the Coimbatore forest officials, who then released it back into the forest. Despite the non-venomous nature of rat snakes, the officials have taken legal steps against Uma for capturing and handling the snake without appropriate permissions and then posting the ordeal online, which went viral on social media.
Following the investigation, both Uma and Abdul Rahman were presented before a magistrate by the Forest Department officials. After the inquiry, considering their intention was based on goodwill, both volunteers were released on their own recognizance. The video posting has sparked extensive discussions on wildlife protection and the legal responsibilities of citizens on social media. The District Forest Ranger commented that such activities by untrained individuals should be discouraged to prevent harm to both the wildlife and the individuals.