The reptile man is just a dial away!

PALAKKAD: If you dial the number of the Shoranur fire station or the forest office seeking help to get rid of a venomous snake, a honey bee comb or a wasp nest, a polite voice would direct you to Abbas A T, popularly known as Kaippuram Abbas.Abbas has extended a helping hand to many who were bitten by snakes during the last two decades. “Abbas is an expert in the field. Whenever the general public approaches him through us, he readily takes up the challenge,” says Siju, the driver of the Shoranur fire station.The 39-year-old Abbas has been engaged in catching snakes from wells, trees, tiled houses, and importantly, he would do it effortlessly. As he is a ‘friend in need’ for the public, he is a ‘friend indeed’ for the animals, as well. “In December, I caught a pregnant water snake from a house. I put the snake in a glass case in my house where it laid eggs. There were 53 eggs and it gave birth to 47 little ones,” said Abbas.“After some days, I will release them in a pond,” he added. “A few years ago, kudumbasree activists alerted me of around 14 abandoned eggs at a nearby place. The eggs were that of a python. I took them home and kept in a small box and provided necessary heat using electricity,” said Abbas, who is also good at treating snake-bite.  Though wife Jameela and daughter Nasreen now give him full support to his work, they were not much convinced when he ventured into the world of reptiles, said  Abbas, who is a tailor by profession but dons many roles to eke out a living.“I perform magic, drive vehicles and collect honey from beehives and drives away wasps from treetops and buildings,” says Abbas.After completing SSLC, he had begun to catch snakes to pass the time, which later became a passion. Once he was bitten by a cobra and had to undergo treatment for three months. “In the last two decades, I have caught more than 5,000 snakes,” Abbas added sporting a proud smile.