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Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Odisha, India
Use of canned food and beverages has increased in recent times. The usefulness and consumer acceptability of these cans are beyond question, but lead soldering in cans has also created grave human health concerns and is now controlled or banned in many countries across the globe.
in: Al-Taher F. Jackson L. DeVries J.W. Intentional and Unintentional Contaminants in Food and Feed. American Chemical Society,
Washington, DC2009: 229-253
We came across 3 cases in which carelessly discarded uncrushed empty cans became death traps for snakes. Similar incidents have been reported from several areas of the world.
Although the danger of lead poisoning and the difficulty in solid waste management due to the nonbiodegradable nature of these containers was appreciated in the past, the effect of these cans upon our precious flora and fauna is generally overlooked.
The littered cans provide shelter to small animals like toads, frogs, geckos, and so on. These are choice food for snakes. Snakes may insert their heads into cans in search of their prey or through their natural curiosity.
We came across 3 cases in which the head of snakes were found stuck inside empty uncrushed cans. In 2 of these cases, the snakes were adult common cobras (Figure 1, A and B) and in 1 it was a nonvenomous rat snake (Figure 1D). All snakes were successfully set free from the entrapment and released to the wild. In 2 cases, the cans were found to be empty when opened. In 1 can, in which a cobra was entrapped, 1 live and 2 dead small toads (Bufo melanostictus) were found (Figure 1C). These reports could be just the tip of the iceberg as the natural habitat of snakes (bush lands, fields, and forests) are littered with such human-generated waste. Many snakes could be dying unnoticed in the wild due to such torturous entrapment.
Figure 1A and B, Two common cobras entrapped in beverage cans. C, Retrieval of a toad. D, Rat snake trapped in soft drink can. (Photographs by Subhendu Mallik, MSc [Ag].)
The important role of snakes in our ecological balance is vital. They play the role of master pest and rodent controller. However, recent studies revealed that snake numbers are on the decline globally,
and human interference is a major contributing factor.
It is important to be conscious; the simple step of proper crushing and disposal of food and beverage cans may save the lives of precious snakes in our ecosystem. Moreover, in a developing country such as India, carelessly discarded cans are rapidly becoming an environmental and public health concern. Underground and open sewage systems can become clogged with cans and plastic. Pollution of soil, freshwater, and seawater is another point of concern. In addition, when this waste is littered around household or slum areas, it can act as breeding sites for mosquitoes and thus become a source of mosquito-borne diseases.
Acknowledgment
We are thankful to the chief wildlife warden of Odisha for facilitating the rescue and release of snakes into the wild and permitting the first author to do the same.
References
Kashtock M.E.
Lead in food. The neo-classical contaminant.
in: Al-Taher F. Jackson L. DeVries J.W. Intentional and Unintentional Contaminants in Food and Feed. American Chemical Society,
Washington, DC2009: 229-253
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