In certain regions of India, a myth persists that chameleons can spray a chemical that renders men impotent. Operating under this misconception, a crowd of villagers was attacking the chameleon shown below, who was simply trying to go about his business on the branch of an almond tree. Chameleons aren’t commonly seen in that village, so it’s possible that the colorful fellow was brought there inadvertently by a vegetable truck.

An Animal Rahat scout spotted the crowd and quickly moved to intervene. After speaking to the villagers, he notified the Forest Department, which has jurisdiction over the protection of certain species, including chameleons. A Forest Department official then transported the lizard to an area 30 miles away, where his species is known to thrive.

Another species linked to superstition is the Indian sand boa, believed to bring wealth and good fortune. While this belief doesn’t carry with it the stigma that impotence does, it’s still dangerous because it prompts people to take these snakes from the wild.

The Animal Rahat team received a call from a man who had found the snake pictured above hiding in a wall of his house. While the team was busy extracting the reptile, word apparently spread so quickly that seven men who claimed to be snake “rescuers” came to offer their “help.” Savvy to their ill intent, the Animal Rahat team turned them away, procured permission from the Forest Department to release the boa onto protected forest land, and filed a report with authorities regarding the ulterior motives of the men who had posed as snake rescuers.