Ever so often pictures of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (JPAM) are featured in the many Malaysian news media holding pythons and cobras caught by their men.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is quite puzzled as to why the craze to have every reptile caught photographed.

A reptile that is trying to escape is already going through much stress from all the noise and encounter with humans. Since these are wild creatures never having being caught in the presence of so many men and having avoided human contact all their lives, it can be traumatic for these reptiles. Moreover what are these men trying to achieve by stretching the reptiles to the fullest to show their length?

We would like to know whether these men are professional enough in the way these snakes are caught and handled. It is understandable that there is a kind of standard operating procedure (SOP) for the catching of snakes. Is stretching out the snakes for photographic session part of the standard operating procedure? Has any welfare needs of the snakes being considered or abided to from the moment of capture until their release?

This amounts to total lack of animal welfare concerns and care.

The Civil Defence should bear in mind that Penang’s longest snake had died at the hands of JPAM not long ago. All those long delay and stretching of that poor python for the photo shoot has not prompted JPAM to learn a lesson.

It is high time JPAM understands that snakes maybe large and robust, but they can bruise easily and suffer injury when subjected to inappropriate handling and stressful picture taking.

JPAM should be tasked with responsibility towards any wildlife caught and not as objects for photo props.

SM MOHAMED IDRIS is president, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM).