snake & mongoose in ancient India

[Srini Pichumani]

birgit kellner wrote:

> (2) Regarding zoological issues: Is it probable that inhabitants of the Indian
> subcontinent generally witnessed, during the first millenium C.E., that
> mongoose of some subspecies or another attacked and killed snakes (of some
> subspecies or another)? Or is it for instance equally probable that they saw
> snakes killing mongoose *AND* mongoose killing snakes?

I would certainly think so...  of course,  I am extrapolating backwards from what I
have personally seen,  albeit very carefully in the confines of my living room ,
on a National Geographic program featuring the King Cobra in the southwest of
India.  The video captures the friendly encounters of Romulus Whitaker,  a renowned
herpetologist based in Madras,  with the said snake...  in one of the scenes,  a
mongoose is shown fearlessly snapping at the snake while prancing about... for its
part,  the snake raises its hood,  hisses a lot,  and assumes a very mean posture
in general.  No more gore !

-Srini.