Western Ghats Calling: King Cobra on a train

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

King Cobra on a train

Not long ago on board a night train through the Western Ghats, I dreaded if a king cobra would not be travelling along. Yes, on the train. In the recent past, a 10-feet long king cobra was captured in a train to Dehradun. This wasn’t a freak event. More and more reports of snakes on trains have hit the headlines in recent years. What if the snake were to give us the dreaded company? Be it venomous or not, a snake creates panic and may raise the risk of harming both people and the snake.

When it hit the big screen in 2006, Snakes on a Plane was no more than a fantasy that wasn't altogether improbable. During the second World War, the voracious brown tree snake reached new islands in the Pacific Ocean by climbing onto landing gear of a plane. Snakes are notorious and sensational travelers. Not many could believe that venomous snakes often travel on trains in India. The inadvertent hitchhiking appears to be transporting these deadly creatures to unknown places.

A recent study published in Biotropica takes a closer look at these reports which put snakes in unsuitable habitats. Many such encounters are reported each year in the country. Snakes adjust to the new habitat with ease. That is why snakes travel anywhere and everywhere. It must be said that snakes find the train habitat convenient. One reason for the snakes to hop aboard might have to do with their burrows being flooded, causing the reptiles to seek dry shelter.

So, finding a snake a few feet away on a train is quite a possibility. Although it could be on any train, but it is more in the case of trains passing through Goa. King cobra has reportedly been caught aboard on many trains. Snakes are agile climbers, maybe getting onto freight trains when the trains stop near their habitats. They are good hunters too, as freight trains carry grain/fruit to attract rodents, lizards, or other snakes including rat snakes.

But if an apex predator like king cobra establishes itself in a new environment, it could have huge ecological implications. Even lone introductions pose a risk to humans especially if a king cobra arrives in a place where people have never dealt with a venomous snake of that size before...by Sudhirendar Sharma

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Save Western Ghats Movement (SWGM)

SWGM has an unpleasant history. Hailed by India Today as one of the finest post-independence environmental movement, the mid-1980s march along the pristine 'ghats' had to wither away on account of internal squabbling between the organizers. Between 2006 till 2008, Sudhirendar Sharma got an opportunity to travel across the region to capture the latent energy among diverse actors to reignite the past. Together with Pandurang Hegde, who carried the painful memories of the past, the Save Western Ghats Movement of the 80's was revived at Peaceful Society in Goa in 2009. Peaceful Society (led by Kalanand Mani) had played stellar role in anchoring the SWGM in 1988.

SWGM Conferences

Three important congregations of activists, researchers, scientists, artists, politicians and thinkers have been organised since 2009 under the aegis of Save Western Ghats Movement - an informal platform of civil society actors. While the first, in 2009 in Ponda (Goa) revived the erstwhile movement of the mid-80's, the second in Kotagiri (Tamilnadu) in 2010 was major milestone as it led to the setting-up of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel by the Ministry of Environment & Forests. The third congregation at Moodbidri (Karnataka) in 2011 reiterated civil society commitment to conserve the ghats whatever be the outcome of the panel.

Sussegad

Sussegad, meaning `easygoing’, is often associated with the Goans but it does extend to other areas along the Western Ghats, notably hilly parts of Karnataka. Mellowed down by the warmth of the Sun, the coolness of the rains and the wisdom of the green hills, people in these parts of the Western Ghats are known for their simplicity and hospitality. Accommodating as they are, sussegad lends a distinct cultural identity to these people.

When the world elsewhere is racing against materialistic greed, sussegad provides the much desired calming effect. Gandhi used to say: `there is more to life than speed.’ People in the ghats seem to have imbibed that spirit from time immemorial. Being laid back and stealing siesta time during each afternoon may seem out of place for an average outsider but for people here it is an accepted practice that renders them inherent strength – of being in harmony with self, society and nature. It seems sussegad could be for the good of the entire society. Any takers!

Open House

By definition, activists are an interesting bunch of people with high octane levels. At the heart of activism lies the unflinching desire to bring the world on its feet. Unilaterally focussed, immensely committed and socially driven, activists have struggled to carve out a niche for themselves in the shrinking social space. Yet, they enjoy the patronage of the state and its cronies. Had there not been the state with its dubious designs, the breed called activists would not have existed? Wonder, who then is the real activist?

Do you agree with this notion?

All About Frogs

Pictorial Guide to Frogs and Toads of the Western Ghats has been published to help students, researchers, forest managers, photographers and general public in identifying a species in the field along with its status, ecology and distribution. Simultaneously it also aims at bringing awareness about amphibians among general public. This book covers 73 species of 156 frogs and toads recorded from the Western Ghats as of date. Written by Dr. KV Gururaja, the book is available through: http://shop.gubbilabs.in.