Chennai: Foresters have warned miscreants not to misuse social media by spreading rumours that wild animals are escaping from zoological parks.
According to wildlife department sources, there has been four incidents of anonymous WhatsApp messages and pictures being shared in the past 10 days, where the messages created panic stating that crocodiles have escaped from Madras Crocodile Bank at Muttukadu. Last week, there was a similar rumour that a six-foot crocodile escaped from Amaravati park in Pollachi, sources said. “On Wednesday, a vernacular TV channel ran a news bulletin for 15 minutes creating panic despite explaining that crocodiles were intact. It was followed by other media. We are often forced to dispatch forest guards or rangers to look in to such reports wasting time and energy”, rued an IFS officer.
He pointed out that last year a ranger was forced to waste the whole day near Ekattuthangal bridge as locals spread rumours about a crocodile in Adyar during rain. “Like police, we will also take to task such mischief mongers in future”, the official quipped.
“Whenever there is an alert, we respond. Of late, there are anonymous calls and WhatsApp messages, said Chennai wildlife headquarters ranger S David Raj. He said such calls were becoming a nuisance during heavy rain. Even in case of snakes straying into residential areas, the public need not panic as wildlife rescue operates round-the-clock attending stray animals, he said.
Meanwhile a DC reader, seeking anonymity, shared a Facebook page in which there were 56 likes and comments for Facebook page posted on Thursday which reads that a Sivaskasi youth rears python at home.
The Facebook page had a photograph of a youth posing with a snake in an air conditioned room.
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