Bush fires send snakes into Maracas homes

A MARACAS/St Joseph man has embarked on a mission to save snakes which have invaded homes in the district, and is appealing to residents not to kill the reptiles.

Anthony Sorillo has been fascinated with snakes since he was a young boy and has been providing the zoo with snakes captured near his home. He said due to recent bush fires in Maracas/St Joseph, the snakes have found their way into the village and have sought refuge in yards and areas close to drains and rivers. According to Sorillo, many residents have been killing the snakes but he has been able to save a few which he has donated to the zoo.Yesterday, he found a six month old boa constrictor.

Sorillo said although he has spoken to villagers about the killing of the snakes, his pleas have fallen on deaf ears. He said he has been walking around the village searching for snakes to take to the zoo, but has discovered that the reptiles are being killed as soon as they are discovered. He noted that most people are unaware that the boa constrictor is useful since it gets rid of rodents and insects. “I am pleading and begging persons to desist from killing these snakes,” Sorillo said. Checks with the Fire Department at Wrightson Road revealed that more than 100 bush fires were reported in Maracas/St Joseph for the month. Fire officers claimed that the high temperatures of the dry season and illegal setting of fires are the two main contributors to the bush fires.