Meet Dr. Roshini, Kerala only woman forest officer, who catches Kings Cobra, Pythons & Rat Snakes with bare hands
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Rare encounter with a king cobra
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Leading snake rescue efforts in the district
Challenges and safety in snake rescue
Mental strength and family support
Roshni, a beat forest officer in Kerala for the past eight years, recently rescued her first king cobra, marking a significant moment in her wildlife rescue career. She is the only woman snake catcher in the Kerala Forest Department and part of the state's first batch of women forest officers.The rescue also comes at a time when Roshni has received a doctorate in social services from Global Human Peace University in Chennai, where she was awarded a gold medal for academic performance. She is a graduate in Botany and often posts updates from her professional and academic life on Instagram.According to The Indian Express, Roshni said, 'This is the first time I caught a king cobra. It had been my dream since I started as a certified snake rescuer in the department in 2019.' While king cobras have been handled by rescuers in other parts of Kerala, Roshni had not previously found one in Thiruvananthapuram.'While many snake catchers elsewhere in Kerala have rescued king cobras, I did not get such a chance in Thiruvananthapuram, where this species is rarely spotted,' she told The Indian Express.Roshni currently heads the Rapid Response Team (RRT) at the Paruthippally forest range. Over her years in service, she has caught and relocated about 800 snakes—many of them venomous—from populated areas across the district.Most of the time, Roshni travels alone to attend to rescue calls. 'On most such occasions, there would be a snake in the trunk of the car or the storage of the scooter. I will be riding a scooter with a snake in the storage under the seat,' she said, as quoted by The Indian Express.She also does not use protective gear like gloves or gumboots when handling snakes, including venomous ones like the king cobra. 'It is risky to catch a king cobra mainly because of its length. When you catch the tail of a king cobra, its length enables it to swiftly turn against you and attack. To save itself, a king cobra can coil with its head and tail on a single point,' she said.On what it takes to work in snake rescue, Roshni said, 'You need courage and presence of mind. Concentration is very important. We have to weigh our safety, the snake's safety, and that of the onlookers.''I enjoy catching snakes and have the support of my family. Many others have got trained over the years, but they might not have ventured into snake catching for want of support from family or courage,' she told The Indian Express.Roshni's work highlights the expanding role of women in frontline conservation efforts in Kerala. Her rescue efforts and academic journey reflect the importance of trained, courageous responders in managing human-wildlife interactions in the state.
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Indian Express
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Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
Meet Dr. Roshini, Kerala only woman forest officer, who catches Kings Cobra, Pythons & Rat Snakes with bare hands
Roshni, a beat forest officer in Kerala, recently achieved a milestone. She rescued her first king cobra. Roshni is the only woman snake catcher in the Kerala Forest Department. She also earned a doctorate in social services. Roshni heads the Rapid Response Team. She has relocated about 800 snakes. Her work highlights the role of women in conservation. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Rare encounter with a king cobra Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Leading snake rescue efforts in the district Challenges and safety in snake rescue Mental strength and family support Roshni, a beat forest officer in Kerala for the past eight years, recently rescued her first king cobra, marking a significant moment in her wildlife rescue career. She is the only woman snake catcher in the Kerala Forest Department and part of the state's first batch of women forest rescue also comes at a time when Roshni has received a doctorate in social services from Global Human Peace University in Chennai, where she was awarded a gold medal for academic performance. She is a graduate in Botany and often posts updates from her professional and academic life on to The Indian Express, Roshni said, 'This is the first time I caught a king cobra. It had been my dream since I started as a certified snake rescuer in the department in 2019.' While king cobras have been handled by rescuers in other parts of Kerala, Roshni had not previously found one in Thiruvananthapuram.'While many snake catchers elsewhere in Kerala have rescued king cobras, I did not get such a chance in Thiruvananthapuram, where this species is rarely spotted,' she told The Indian currently heads the Rapid Response Team (RRT) at the Paruthippally forest range. Over her years in service, she has caught and relocated about 800 snakes—many of them venomous—from populated areas across the of the time, Roshni travels alone to attend to rescue calls. 'On most such occasions, there would be a snake in the trunk of the car or the storage of the scooter. I will be riding a scooter with a snake in the storage under the seat,' she said, as quoted by The Indian also does not use protective gear like gloves or gumboots when handling snakes, including venomous ones like the king cobra. 'It is risky to catch a king cobra mainly because of its length. When you catch the tail of a king cobra, its length enables it to swiftly turn against you and attack. To save itself, a king cobra can coil with its head and tail on a single point,' she what it takes to work in snake rescue, Roshni said, 'You need courage and presence of mind. Concentration is very important. We have to weigh our safety, the snake's safety, and that of the onlookers.''I enjoy catching snakes and have the support of my family. Many others have got trained over the years, but they might not have ventured into snake catching for want of support from family or courage,' she told The Indian work highlights the expanding role of women in frontline conservation efforts in Kerala. Her rescue efforts and academic journey reflect the importance of trained, courageous responders in managing human-wildlife interactions in the state.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
Watch: Kerala woman officer calmly rescues 15-foot King Cobra in viral video
When a King Cobra– one of the most feared snakes– was spotted near a stream used by local residents, a routine day for Kerala forest officials quickly turned into a high-stakes rescue. What followed was a six-minute operation that has now caught the internet's attention, not for how dangerous it looked, but for how calmly it was handled. Cobra found near human activity The snake was seen on July 6 near a stream in Peppara, located in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. Concerned by the presence of such a large snake in an area frequented by bathers, residents informed the forest department. According to media reports, a five-member Rapid Response Team (RRT) was immediately sent to the location to assess and manage the situation. A first-time rescue of its kind Among the team was GS Roshni, a forest officer with nearly eight years of field experience. While she had handled hundreds of snake rescues in the past– both venomous and non-venomous, this was the first time she had encountered a King Cobra during an active rescue, news agency PTI reports, as quoted by India Today. Speaking to PTI, Roshni said that it was her first rescue involving a King Cobra. She also mentioned that such sightings are uncommon in that particular region, making the encounter a rare one in her career. Calm and control on full display In the video of the rescue, Roshni is seen approaching the King Cobra with a hooked pole and a large sack. What caught viewers' attention was not just the methodical approach, but the way she stayed completely composed throughout. At one point, as she guided the snake into the bag, she's even heard saying 'please' – a small but striking moment of calm communication in the middle of a tense rescue. As per the India Today report, the operation lasted around six minutes. Despite a few attempts by the snake to evade capture, it was safely secured without harm to either the animal or the team. Safe release into the forest The King Cobra, estimated to be between 14 and 15 feet in length and weighing nearly 20 kilograms, was later released into a forest area, far from human settlements, as per the report. Public reaction and recognition The video has gone viral on social media, with many praising Roshni for her steady handling of a potentially dangerous situation. Her experience and presence of mind during the rescue have been widely appreciated, especially given that it was her first King Cobra encounter.
