EVS Class-5 NCERT Solutions, Chapter-2: A Snake Charmer’s Story

No, I don’t think all snakes are poisonous.

Yes, I have seen a snake charmer playing a been at a local fair in my grandparents’ village.

Yes, I have seen a snake while I was watching the snake charmer playing the been. I have also seen a snake in a nearby paddy field.

Yes, I was scared by it. I thought that the snake was poisonous and also felt that it would bite me.

Snakes are not capable of hearing the been. Instead, they respond to the vibrations created due to the movement of the been. So, the snake dances only when the been moves.

Like snake-charmers there are other people who depend on animals for their livelihood. They are either directly or indirectly dependent on the animals. Examples of such people are—
(i) Fisherman on fishes.
(ii) Milkman on cows and buffaloes for milk.
(iii) Baker on poultry for eggs.
(iv) Farmer on ox for physical labour.
(v) Labourer on a donkey to carry the load.

Some people were scared of the animals, some of them were very generous towards them and enjoyed the tricks performed by them.

(a) Yes, I have seen animals being used for the entertainment of people at a circus as well as in a fair.
(b) I saw a circus once which had many animals like lions, elephants, dogs and monkeys performing many tricks.

Nobody was teasing the animals. But I have seen people tease animals at the zoo by making sounds and faces and throwing things at them.

After seeing that animal show, the following questions came to my mind—
(i) Is it fair to exploit animals for fun?
(ii) Do they like living in cages?
(iii) Are they given enough food?
(iv) Is the place where they are kept clean?
(v) How do these wild animals survive in artificial habitats?
(vi) How are these wild animals trained?
(vii) Is it safe to keep wild animals like lions around humans?
(viii) How were the animals caught from the forest?

(i) I am afraid when my trainer beats me when I make a mistake during performing a trick.
(ii) I wish I could enjoy living in the forest.
(iii) I feel sad when I remember my friends in the jungle.
(iv) If I had a chance I would immediately run back to the forest.
(v) I do not like it at all when people tease me by making faces at me or throwing things at me.

Let us take the case of Sohanlal, who is a milkman.
(i) Sohanlal keeps buffaloes and cows.
(ii) He has six buffaloes and seven cows.
(iii) He has made a shed for these animals.
(iv) Sohanlal, his wife, and a helper, take care of these animals.
(v) These animals eat grass and animal fodder. They are sometimes fed cotton and fenugreek seeds.
(vi) Sometimes, these cows and buffaloes fall ill. In that case, Sohanlal takes them to a nearby veterinary hospital.
(vii) Why are these cows and buffaloes important to Sohanlal? These cows and buffaloes are important to Sohanlal because they are a source of income for Sohanlal. He earns money by selling the milk produced by these animals.
(viii)Dependence of humans on animals
Animals have always been an integral part of human life from a very early age till now. They are reared for obtaining various animal products. During my visit to my grandparents’ village this year, I got a chance to meet Sohanlal. He is a milkman by profession and rears animals like cows and buffaloes to obtain milk which he then sells to earn money. He has six buffaloes and seven cows, which are kept in a shed in the backyard. He, along with his wife and a helper, look after the well-being of the animals. The cattle are given grass, fenugreek, and cotton seeds as food. These keep them healthy and help in good production of milk. There is a veterinary hospital nearby where Sohanlal takes his cows and buffaloes when they fall ill. Animals are of great economic importance. However, I noticed that Sohanlal is also emotionally attached to his cows and buffaloes and cares for them deeply just like his own family members. Animals help us in many ways. So, we should never tease or harm them. Instead, we must provide them with all that is required for their well-being.

I think this law is vital. We know that if we keep snakes or any other animals in captivity, then it may lead to the following consequences—
(i) Decrease in the number of animal species.
(ii) Disturbance in the ecological balance.
(iii) Exploitation of animals for the benefit of humans.
The law made by the government would keep a check on the above-mentioned consequences and hence, protect the wild animals. Also, freedom should not be denied to any animal because they too, have a right to live on their own terms. So, I totally support this law.