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You must know: The life of popular snake catcher Vava Suresh and how a snake bite put him in a battle for survival!

By alagu, 02 February, 2022
Vava Suresh, Kerala

Beyond Kerala, the faces across the country who know and admire the valour of puppeting the snake by a renowned snake catcher has been extending their prayers to him for a speedy recovery after his valour was tested by a snake, which bit and put him in a battle for survival. Vava Suresh, the face that many of us could have seen on a single screen along with some deadliest cobras and vipers, is now been hospitalized in Kerala as he is battling for life. 

Vava Suresh lives a life as unique as his name and he has been a go-to person to catch a snake across Kerala. Suresh has dedicated his entire life to what we would fear the most and beyond being a snake expert, he has a strong commitment to work for the Indian Wildlife. This 48-year-old Trivandrum born snake catcher is known for his mission of saving snakes that have strayed into human-inhabited areas in his home state of Kerala. 

Besides being a wildlife conservationist, he also has been hosting a snake capturing program called "Snake Master", which is widely prominent across and beyond the borders. His courageous skills of catching snakes and his humanly goal of saving them had poured an immense reputation on him as he has garnered more respect and support from the people. As of November 2020, he has captured 200 King Cobras and he also had captured and rescued more than 38,000 straying snakes. 

He is popularly known for rescuing endangered species of snakes and preserving the collected eggs until hatching periods. He would release the reptiles into the natural habitats at regular intervals of time. Suresh has gained prominence over creating awareness among the people about snakes and their behaviour. His efforts of capturing the deadliest snakes from the residential areas had brought him close to the people and the snakes. 

He also runs a YouTube channel under his name 'Vava Suresh' where he would speak and demonstrate about wildlife and snake catching. He has been active in this critical field for over two decades and getting bitten by the snakes is part of his journey as he has survived many venomous snakebites, some of which put him in the hospital under a critical condition. In an interview in June 2021, Suresh has said that he was admitted to a ventilator twice and in ICU four times.

He has survived more than 300 snake bites including bites from cobras and vipers. The history of his gritty comeback from the battles of survival has given hope to the people now as he is battling yet another episode of survival after being bitten by a cobra. Hundreds of thousands of people are expressing their prayers to this master of snakes to have a speedy recovery. The wishes for recovery has been rampant with the social media users are rewinding his contribution to saving wildlife and rescuing snakes.

According to reports, during the evening hours of Monday - January 31, Suresh went to a house in Kurichy near Kottayam to catch a cobra, that infiltered the residence. The people living in the house had spotted a cobra among stones that were piled up near the cattle shed. Suresh was informed about the reptile's influx and he had arrived at the house. Several people had also gathered to witness Suresh catching the snake. 

He had located the snake and captured it. He was holding the snake upside down and when he was trying to put the cobra inside a gunny bag while holding it, on the other hand, the snake has suddenly bit him on his right thigh. The snake bite was not new to him and he caught it again when it was trying to escape and packed it inside the bag. He then informed the people to take him to the nearest hospital to get treatment for the snake bite. 

He was rushed to the hospital and after getting administered with anti-venom, he was shifted to the state-run Kottayam Medical College Hospital for higher treatments. He was brought to the hospital in a critical condition and was put under ventilator treatment. After knowing the incident, his hospitalization has become the talk of the town and several people have been wishing a speedy recovery. His health condition has now shown a slight improvement with the warrant of continuous observation for a few more days. 

The hospital authorities have said that he had started to breathe on his own without ventilator support and is responding to the calls. A doctor who is attending him said, "He had been breathing on his own since Tuesday. However, breathing is being monitored using ventilator support. This is an indication that the functioning of lungs and heart are returning back to normal." Dr Jayakumar, the Superintendent of the Kottayam Medical College Hospital said, "Vava Suresh is now on a ventilator and is responding to medicine. His health condition has improved after 18 hours. Now, his blood pressure and heartbeat are normal." 

Medically, the most crucial time after the snake venom had entered the body is between 24 and 48 hours, due to which Suresh will be on ventilator support for some time. Kerala Minister of Cooperation VN Vasavan, who is from Kottayam, is overseeing his treatments and state Health Minister Veena George has announced that the state will take of his treatment. Earlier, Vasavan said that Suresh's condition was critical and there is only 20% hope that he would recover. However, the signs of recovery have brought relief to the people. 

Suresh's contribution to the wildlife has been remarkable and his work is being known beyond India and with nearly five lakh followers on YouTube, Suresh has been a man of wonder and has garnered more respect for his risk yet bravery work of catching and rescuing the snakes. It is pertinent to note that Britain's Prince Charles, after knowing Suresh's work, expressed his desire to meet Suresh when he came to Kerala in November 2013. Charles had then met Suresh in Vazhachaal in Thrissur. 

Watch the video in which Suresh was bitten by a cobra: 

 

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