Ajita Pandey, a devoted nursing professional from Bilaspur, has one big passion — rescuing snakes. Known for her fearless and calm approach while handling venomous reptiles, she has earned the nickname “Snake Girl.” Alongside her job as a nursing officer, Ajita has rescued thousands of snakes, safely returning them to the wild. Her thrilling rescue videos have gained attention on Instagram, where she has 1.25 lakh followers.
Growing up in a family that loves animals, Ajita’s home is shared with 18-20 dogs, cows, and calves. Her interest in snake rescue began at the age of 18 after meeting snake charmers in Chhattisgarh. To learn more about the profession and its challenges, she studied various books, newspapers, and online resources.
Through her research, Ajita learned about the vital role snakes play in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. As she studied various reptile species, she realized that while some snakes can be dangerous, the majority are non-poisonous and pose no threat to humans.
Through her social media posts, Ajita works to raise awareness about the importance of snakes in the ecosystem and the dangers of killing them unnecessarily. She encourages people to seek expert help, like hers, rather than harming the creatures, and advises contacting medical professionals if bitten by a venomous snake.
In a recent video, Ajita was seen rescuing a non-venomous black rat snake with her bare hands. The snake had been hiding in the lawn of a house in Bilaspur. With skill and care, Ajita carefully removed the snake from the bush and placed it in a bag before releasing it back into the wild.
She shared the rescue on Instagram, where the video has already gained over 11 lakh views and more than 80,000 likes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ajita broke the world record for the “most snakes rescued by an individual.” She had rescued 984 snakes from March 2017 to July 2024.
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