Snake Surgery & Reptile Conservation

Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan, a wildlife veterinarian, has been involved in snake rescue, handling, veterinary treatment, rehabilitation, and conservation for more than 10 years, treating injured and diseased snakes and releasing suitable individuals back into their natural habitats. He has also conducted training and awareness programmes for snake-rescue volunteers and forest frontline staff, helping them develop safer and more scientific approaches to snake rescue and management. His work demonstrates that conservation is not only about protecting snakes in forests but also about providing appropriate veterinary care when they are injured or affected by human activities. Saving snakes means protecting nature, maintaining biodiversity, supporting scientific knowledge, and creating a safer coexistence between people and wildlife.

Dr. Asokan is a pioneer in reptile conservation and one of India’s leading wildlife veterinarians specializing in snake surgery and treatment. He has extensive experience in rescue, clinical examination, diagnosis, and surgical management of injured and diseased snakes, including venomous and non-venomous species.

His expertise includes advanced wound management, fracture stabilization, treatment of eye disease, abscesses, bacterial and viral infections, stress-related disorders, cancer surgery, and removal of fish hooks and other foreign bodies. He has also managed severe traumatic injuries and complex rehabilitation cases.

In addition to clinical care, he has contributed through artificial egg incubation and hatching programmes, scientific rehabilitation, and safe release of recovered snakes into natural habitats.

Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan examined and treated affected snakes using appropriate veterinary procedures, with the aim of restoring eye function and enabling successful rehabilitation. Such cases highlight the importance of specialised veterinary care for reptiles and the need to reduce pesticide use, water contamination, pollution, and other environmental threats that can affect wildlife health.

• Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan diagnosed and treated a rare tumour-like mass identified as a lipoma in a Russell's Viper (Daboia russelii). Lipoma is a benign growth composed primarily of mature fat cells and may appear as a localized swelling or mass beneath the skin or within body tissues.
• The case required careful clinical examination and evaluation of the abnormal swelling to differentiate it from other conditions such as an abscess, traumatic swelling, cyst, or malignant tumour. Because Russell's Vipers are highly venomous, examination and treatment require specialized snake-handling and veterinary expertise.
• According to the information you provided, this was recorded by Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan as a rare case of lipoma in a Russell's Viper. For a scientific publication or an official claim of “first time in India/world,” the original case records, histopathology report, and literature review would be needed to verify the priority claim. Published literature does document other unusual diseases in Russell's Vipers, demonstrating the importance of detailed disease investigation and case documentation

Since 2011, Dr. Asokan has provided more than 500 clinical treatments and surgical interventions for injured and diseased snakes. His work includes cancer surgery, fish-hook and foreign-body removal, fracture repair, wound management, eye surgery, treatment of traumatic injuries, and diagnosis and management of bacterial and viral diseases.

Through advanced veterinary care, structured rehabilitation, and scientific conservation practices, numerous reptiles have been restored to health and safely released into suitable natural habitats.

After birth, the newborn snakes were carefully monitored to ensure they were healthy and active before being prepared for release. As an arboreal species, the young require suitable vegetation, climbing cover, shelter and natural prey. Healthy individuals can be released into an appropriate natural habitat, preferably near the original rescue area, following applicable wildlife authorities' guidance. This case highlights the importance of specialised veterinary care, responsible rescue, rehabilitation and scientific conservation of snakes affected by human–wildlife conflict.

Green Vine Snake (Ahaetulla nasuta), it is an ovoviviparous/live-bearing snake: the embryos develop inside the female and the young are born alive, rather than eggs being laid. Reported gestation varies considerably—approximately 51 to 172 days, with some references describing about six months. A female may produce several young, with up to about 23 reported After birth, the neonates should be left undisturbed until they are fully separated from the birth membrane and appear healthy. They can be monitored briefly by trained wildlife personnel, with basic measurements recorded if required. For conservation release, the safest approach is generally to return both the mother and healthy young to suitable natural habitat near the original rescue location, provided the site is safe and appropriate and release is permitted by the relevant Forest/Wildlife authorities. A documented case of Ahaetulla prasina followed this approach, releasing the mother and four neonates into forest close to the original collection site.

Important: Green vine snakes are arboreal, so release should be into suitable vegetation with climbing cover and natural prey, rather than an open or exposed area. Captive holding should be kept as short as possible when rehabilitation and release are the objective.

• Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan, while serving as Zoo Director at the V.O.C. Mini Zoological Park, Coimbatore, contributed to the successful captive breeding and birth of Russell's Viper (Daboia russelii) offspring. His work involved specialized veterinary care, monitoring of gravid snakes, safe management of venomous hatchlings, and conservation-oriented rehabilitation. Contemporary reporting identified Dr. K. Asokan as the Zoo Director during documented Russell's Viper hatchling events at the V.O.C. Zoo
• Russell's Viper Baby Birth Method
• Russell's Vipers (Daboia russelii) are ovoviviparous (more accurately, live-bearing snakes). Unlike egg-laying snakes, the developing young remain inside the mother's reproductive tract until they are sufficiently developed. The female then gives birth to live young, enclosed in a thin transparent membrane that usually breaks soon after birth. Therefore, Russell's Viper babies are born alive and do not normally hatch from externally laid eggs.
• At the V.O.C. Mini Zoo, Coimbatore, the gravid female Russell's Viper was carefully monitored, and the newborn young were safely managed under the veterinary supervision of Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan.

• While serving as Zoo Director of the V.O.C. Mini Zoological Park, Coimbatore, Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan successfully managed a notable Indian Rock Python (Python molurus) breeding and egg-hatching programme. After mating, the gravid female laid 23 eggs. The eggs were carefully monitored under controlled conditions, and 22 healthy python hatchlings successfully emerged. This event was reported in 2012 as a first for the Coimbatore zoo.
• The successful hatching programme involved careful management of the breeding pair, monitoring of the female after egg-laying, maintenance of an appropriate warm environment, and continuous veterinary supervision. The female python remained closely associated with the clutch, while the eggs were maintained in a temperature-controlled environment at approximately 30°C-40°C

• At the V.O.C. Mini Zoological Park, Coimbatore, a female Indian Rock Python (Python molurus) received careful veterinary monitoring and management under Dr. Krishnamoorthy Asokan, Zoo Director. Following egg laying, the python eggs were maintained in a separate, temperature-controlled environment and carefully nurtured. In the documented 2012 breeding event, the female laid 23 eggs, of which 22 successfully hatched, marking an important achievement for the zoo.
• Proper care of a gravid female python and her eggs is essential for successful reproduction. Female Indian Rock Pythons naturally coil around their eggs and help maintain a stable incubation temperature; when necessary, eggs can also be carefully transferred for artificial incubation under controlled conditions.

In 2013, Dr. Asokan organized Coimbatore District’s first Snake Rescue Volunteer Training Programme at V.O.C. Mini Zoological Park. The programme trained youth and women in safe snake rescue, handling, and conservation awareness, encouraging responsible community participation.

He also conducted numerous wildlife rescue, animal-handling, and emergency-response programmes for Tamil Nadu Forest Department field staff, strengthening capacity in rescue, rehabilitation, and human–wildlife conflict management.

In 2022, Dr. Asokan participated as a resource person at a State-Level Snake Rescue Volunteers’ Meet organized by the Tamil Nadu Snake Conservation Society in collaboration with Erode Maniyan Medical Hospital.

The programme brought together around 150 snake rescue volunteers from across Tamil Nadu to promote safe rescue practices, conservation awareness, rescue protocols, and collaboration with the Forest Department.