Rains, flooding force reptiles, wildlife out of natural habitats

Heavy rains inundated low-lying areas, forcing reptiles and other wildlife out of their natural habitats. Seeking dry refuge, they often wander into Metro stations, offices and homes, leading to unexpected encounters. This monsoon, Wildlife SOS has been receiving distress calls daily as waterlogging drives a sharp surge in rescues.

The Wildlife SOS rescued a monitor lizard from the pantry area of Mayur Vihar-1 Metro station after receiving an urgent call from the station staff.

The reptile had wandered into the premises, likely in search of dry shelter from the rising floodwaters in the area.

After receiving the alert, the team swiftly responded, safely extricated the lizard and transported it for a medical examination. Once cleared, it will be released back into its natural habitat.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS, said, “People should be alert as heavy rains and potential floods will force reptiles out to take shelter in dry places. Reptiles like monitor lizards are harmless and vital to our ecosystem. Rescuing them ensures both their well-being and public safety.”

Wasim Akram, Director, Sustainability & Special Projects at Wildlife SOS, asked people to contact the rapid response unit of the NGO if they spot reptiles or other wildlife in distress instead of attempting to handle the situation.

Geeta Seshamani, co-founder and Secretary, Wildlife SOS, said: “Monitor lizards and other reptiles are ecologically significant, helping control rodent and insect populations. Unfortunately, they are often misunderstood and mistaken as dangerous.”