Rumours circulate in Chechnya about massive snake invasion

Rumours about a large number of snakes and appearance of new species are spread in Chechnya, local residents fear the reptiles. However, the Ministry of Public Health has refuted the information.

"Every morning we can see snake traces; they are quite large; some of them an arm thick... Everyone would speak about the invasion of previously unknown and dangerous snakes," said Movsar, an employee of a vehicle fleet in Grozny.

Taisa, a local resident, has noted that she is afraid to let her children play in the yard.

Still, the Ministry of Public Health of Chechnya asserts that no serious attacks of snakes on people have been registered. Biologists associate the activation of the reptiles inhabiting Chechnya and non-dangerous for humans with the hot weather.

However, according to the above Ministry, the number of snake bites in humans has doubled compared to the last year. Since the start of the spring-summer season, six such cases have been registered in Chechnya.

Aslanbek Bakhiev, a biologist, has added that for killing snakes residents of Chechnya are at risk to get under criminal liability. "We have reptiles listed in the Red Book; and destruction of them may be punishable. If you don't touch snakes, they won't attack," the "ChechenInfo" portal quotes him as saying.