An incident at his home at age 14, led Aditya to become a snake rescuer. He is passionate about animal rescue and earns no salary for the same. He organizes workshops in the Lucknow Zoo to make people aware about the animal rescue programmes. So far, Aditya has rescued over 3000 snakes.
Lucknow: Aditya had a deep fascination with snakes since his childhood. Over time, his interest in wildlife motivated him to become a snake rescuer in Uttar Pradesh. It is not usual for people to dream of becoming an animal rescuer, but Aditya’s ambitions were different from the rest. Aditya is not only responsible for the rescue work, but he also imparts training to other people through workshops.
Background
Aditya Tiwari holds a bachelor’s degree in social work. His father worked as a government officer before retirement. His mother is a housewife. Aditya has four siblings.
Aditya’s involvement in snake rescue began when he was just 14 years old. He shares a story from his childhood when a snake entered his house and all his family members panicked. Aditya was brave enough to attempt to capture the snake safely. He tried to put the snake in a sock, but it escaped and slithered away in the woods.
Aditya had educated himself on these topics by familiarising himself with animals’ natural habitats and their tendency to enter enclosed spaces; that is why he had tried to put to the snake into a sock. From then, he knew what his future would look like.
He rescues snakes from human residential areas and relocates them to their natural habitat. He has rescued over 3000 snakes. He spreads awareness about animal protection through various workshops at Lucknow Zoo. Along with this, Aditya has a creative interest in photography; he runs a small photography business from his home.
First job as a rescuer
In 2007, when the online platform Orkut was popular, Aditya used it to connect with people who shared an interest in snakes. He gathered information about snakes through these interactions.
After completing his graduation in the year 2011, he got a job in the real estate industry. His office was situated near the Pipersund Railway Station. There he had his first encounter with a python. The appearance of the python led to the arrival of the forest department team. Aditya made use of this opportunity and formed connections with the officers.
From then on, Aditya became a helping-hand for the officers, and attended all the emergencies.
Felt scared the first time
Aditya shares a story about the time when he felt scared during a snake rescue. He was called for a snake rescue mission in Lucknow’s BKT area, where a cobra had positioned itself in a debris site. It was night, and he was rescuing the snake with the help of a torchlight. He held the snake in the correct position, but the snake hissed, and he panicked. The snake slipped out of Adtiya’s hands and escaped.
Now, he always travels with all the right equipment with himself to avoid such panic situations.
The procedure
After receiving a call, Aditya’s team follows a certain procedure. They request the person to take a picture of the snake to help in the identification. This helps the team to identify the snake and prepare themselves accordingly. The whole area is cleaned except the snake’s vicinity to make it easier for the capture. A bag, specifically designed for this purpose, is used to keep the snakes secure.
The workshops
There are 40 people in Aditya’s team. He receives no salary for his work as he carries out his responsibilities solely because of his love for snakes. He does not want to measure his passion with money.
Aditya conducts workshops in the Lucknow Zoo where he teaches people about animal rescue programmes. He shares images and videos of the rescues. His aim is to make people responsible about the environment they live and to create and nurture a safe place for everyone including the animals.
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