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Home GS- III Biodiversity & Environment Biodiversity & its Conservation Reptiles
02 Jan

Reptiles

Biodiversity & its ConservationBy abhishek levelupias0 Comments
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1. REPTILES: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

1) GHARIAL (GAVIALIS GANGETICUS)

  • One of the longest of all living crocodilians, uniquely evolved as specialized, river dwelling, fish eater. With 110 sharp interdigitated teeth in its long thin snout, it is well adapted to catching fish, its main diet.
  • Habitat: They inhabit foremost flowing rivers with high sand bank which they use for basking and building nests.
  • Distribution
    • Past: Once inhabited all the major river system from the Irrawaddy River in the east to the Indus river in the west.
    • Now
      • Only viable population in National Chambal Sanctuary (also known as National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary) , spread across three states of UP, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
      • Recent Conservation efforts have led to breeding of gharial after 45 years in Odisha in 2021 in Mahanadi River near Satkosia range.
        • With the introduction of Gharial in 1975, Odisha has become the only state with all the three species – Freshwater Gharials, Muggers, and Saltwater Crocodile.
      • Small non-breeding population: Exist in son, Gandak, Hoogly and Ghagra rivers.
      • Extinct in Myanmar, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
  • Threats
    • The combined effects of dams, barrages, artificial embankments, change in river course, pollution, sand mining, riparian agriculture and ingress of domestic and feral livestock.
A) ODISHA GETS ITS FIRST GHARIAL HATCHLING IN 45 YEARS (JUNE 2021)
  • For the first time since they were introduced in the rivers back in 1975, Odisha have seen natural nesting of Gharials.
    • The journey for conservation of Indian Gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) started in 1975 at Gharial Research and Conservation Unit (GRACU), Tikarpada, and adjoining Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary along the Mahanadi river in Odisha.
    • All the original Gharials introduced in Odisha over the years are dead now. In the past three years, Odisha had introduced 13 more gharials in the Mahanadi. Only eight survived.
  • As many as 28 hatchlings were spotted towards the end of May in Mahanadi river, in the Baladamara area near Satkosia range.
  • Note:
    • With the introduction of Gharial in 1975, Odisha has become the only state with all the three species – Freshwater Gharials, Muggers, and Saltwater Crocodile.
    • Gharials are different from Muggers and don’t harm humans. But, many people mistake them for crocodiles and consider them harmful.
B) REINTRODUCED GHARIALS THRIVING IN BEAS RIVER (DEC 2021)
  • Since 2017, 94 gharials have been released in the Beas Conservation Reserve and there have been only two casualties.
  • These Gharials are healthy and have adapted to the Beas Conservation Reserve as their home. They have dispersed both upstream and downstream of the release site and can be spotted any time depending on the water levels and season, indicating that the first step of their rehabilitation has been successful.
  • Experts believe that they may start breeding in the next few years as the released gharials are healthy and have adapted to the Beas Conservation Reserve as their home.
    • Natural breeding would be the real success. The eldest of the reintroduced gharials is 7 years old now and experts are hopeful that breeding would start in next three years (Gharial start breeding at the age of 10).
  • Background:
    • Gharials were commonly seen in Beas River till the 1960s after which it became extinct. ú Why? Change in hydrology due to dam construction, rapid-land use change of flood plains and rampant overfishing led slowly into the extinction of the gharial from the Beas

2) OTHER CROCODILE SPECIES OF INDIA (NON-CRITICALLY ENDANGERED)

A) MUGGER CROCODILE: (CROCODYLUS PALUSTRIS) (VU)
  • Mugger Crocodile, also called marsh crocodile, broad-snouted crocodile is a crocodilian native to freshwater habitat from Southern Iran, Pakistan, India and Srilanka. It is already extinct in Bhutan and Myanmar.
  • Sex of the hatchlings depends on the temperature during incubation.
  • In India it is distributed throughout the country From Rajasthan to Odisha and from Punjab to Tamil Nadu.
  • Protection Status
    • IUCN: VU
    • WPA: Schedule 1
B) SALTWATER CROCODILE (CROCODYLUS POROSUS) (IUCN: LC)
  • Details
    • It is a saltwater crocodile native to Saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India’s East Coast across South East Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia.
    • These are the largest living reptiles and thus also the largest crocodilian species known.
      • Males can grow upto 6 meters with more than 1,000 kg of weight.
      • Femalesaremuchsmallerandrarely surpass 3 m.
    • It is an opportunistic hypercarnivores apex predator. It’s also very dangerous for humans if they venture into its occupied areas.
      • Their population has been growing a lot in A&N islands and therefore the UT administration has been requesting Central government to delist it from WPA-Schedule-1
    • Distribution in India:
      • The saltwater crocodile is found in eastern states of WB, Odisha, AP and TN. It is also found in A&N Islands.
  • Protection:
    • IUNC: LC
    • WPA: Schedule-1

3) TURTLES OF INDIA

  • India has 29 species of turtles
    • Freshwater Turtles (25)
    • Tortoises (5)
  • The main difference between turtles and tortoises is that turtles are primarily aquatic whereas tortoise are terrestrial and spend more time on land.
  • More than half of the turtle species in India are threatened and half of them are protected under WPA-Schedule-1.

4) CR REPTILES

A) BLACK SOFTSHELL TURTLE (NILSSONIA NIGRICANS)

 About Black Soft Shell Turtle

  • It is rarest of India’s turtle species.

 Recent efforts for preservation

  • Hayagriva Madhab Temple at Hajo (30 km from Guwahati) released 16 black soft shell turtle, in the Haduk Beel (wetland) of Pobitaro WLS. These turtles were bred in the temple’s pond.
  • Other softshell turtles species moved from the temple pond to the wild was Indian Softshell Turtle and peacock softshell Hatchlings
B) ASIAN FOREST TORTOISE (MANURIA EMYS)
  • Why in news?
    • Ten captive bred Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys) juveniles were released into a protected area of Nagaland (Dec 2022)
Asian Forest Tortoise (commonly known as the Mountain Tortoise) is the largest tortoise species in the mainland Asia. It is endemic to North-eastern India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia.
Habitation: Hilly wet forests. IUCN: CR

Other interesting features:
» These are the only Tortoise which lay eggs above ground in a nest, which is constructed out of leaf litter by females.

Threats: Over-exploitation and unsustainable use for consumption by local communities resulted in species being pushed to the brink of extinction.

Soft Release in Nagaland Protected areas:
» The Nagaland Forest Department and non-profits
Turtle Survival Alliance and Wildlife Conservation Society,India conducted a soft release of juvenile tortoise with an objective to rewild the species and population recovery.
» The animals were conserved and bred for five years at the Nagaland Zoological Park, Dimapur before their release.
» Soft Release is a process of gradually releasing captively bred species into the wild. This allows the species to develop comfort with the surrounding and other released individuals




Distribution: India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore etc.
C) HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE (ERETMOCHELYS IMBRICATA)
  • Distribution: Have a side range, found predominantly in tropical reefs of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Found in more than 70 countries.
    • In India: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the coast of Orissa and Tamil Nadu.
  • Habitat: Nesting occurs in insular sandy beaches.
  • Threats
    • Turtle shell trade (for decorative purposes), egg collection, slaughter for meat, oil pollution and destruction of nesting and foraging habitats.
D) FOUR-TOED RIVER TERRAPIN OR RIVER TERRAPIN (BATAGUR BASKA)
  • Specie of riverine turtle
  • Diet: Omnivorous diet makes them an essential part of the efficient clean-up systems of aquatic habitats.
  • Habitat: Fresh water rivers and lakes.
  • Distribution: Found only in Bangladesh, Parts of India (WB and Orissa), Myanmar and Cambodia .
    • It is presumed extinct in several south-eastern Asian countries. Even in WB and Orissa, it is difficult to find in wild.
    • It is considered world’s second most endangered turtle. The Yangtze giant soft shell turtle, Rafetus swinhoei, is considered the most endangered fresh water turtle.
  • Protection Status
    • IUCN: CR
    • WPA: Scheduled 1
  • Threats: Use of flesh for medicinal purposes, demand for eggs, which are considered a delicacy.
  • Note
    • There are six large fresh water turtle of the genus Batagur, three are found in India.
    • Batagur Kachuga (Red-crowned roofed turtle) and Batagur dhongoka (three-striped roofed turtle) are found in tributaries of the Ganga, such as Chambal.
    • The Northern river terrapin is the most endangered of the three species.
E) RED-CROWNED ROOFED TURTLE OR THE BENGAL ROOF TURTLE (BATAGUR KACHUGA)
  • Critically endangered turtle, endemic to South Asia.
  • Males have bright red coloration during the breeding season.
  • Habitat: Deep flowing rivers but with terrestrial nest sites.
  • Distribution: Found in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
    • In India it resides basically in watersheds of Ganga. The National Chambal Sanctuary is believed to be one of the last viable habitats for the species.
  • Threats: Water development projects, water pollution, human disturbance and poaching for illegal wildlife market.
F) LEITH’S SOFTSHELL TURLTE

IUCN: C

CITES: Appendix-1

It mainly inhabits rivers and reservoirs mainly in southern peninsular India, in states like Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Its presence is substantial in the Cauvery, Tungabhadra, Ghatprabha, Bhavani, Godavari, and Moyar Drainages.

The specific name, leithii, is in the honor of Andrew H. Leith, a physician with the Bombay Sanitary Commission.

Threats: Loss of habitat, pollution, and unchecked urbanization.

 

G) ASIAN GIANT SOFTSHELL TURTLE (CANTOR’S GIANT SOFTSHELL TURTLE)

IUCN: CR

CITES: Appendix-II

It’s a freshwater turtle that is native to Southeast Asia. It is considered among the largest extant freshwater turtles.

Distribution: Cantor’s giant softshell turtles occur in eastern and southern India, Bangladesh, and throughout southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea.

They spend most of their life buried and motionless with only their eyes and mouth protruding from the sand. They surface only twice a day to take a breath and capture their prey by sit-and-wait strategy.

Key threats: Habitat destruction, harvesting for meat, and accidental killing by getting trapped infishing gears.

It Kerala they are also called ‘Pala poovan‘ – since its nose and white bony belly plate resemble the shape and color of the pala flower, a type of crape jasmine.

H) SAL FOREST TORTOISE (ELONGATED TORTOISE)
  • Details
    • It is a species of tortoise found in Southeast Asia and parts of the Indian subcontinent.
      • In India, it is found in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, UP and West Bengal.
    • It is called elongated as its shell is considerably depressed, more than twice as long as deep, with flat vertebrate region;
    • This species is dimorphic.
  • Protection Status
    • IUCN: CR
    • CITES: Appendix-II
    • WPA: Schedule-IV

5. REPTILES: ENDANGERED TURTLES/TORTOISES IN INDIA

1) INDIAN PEAKCOCK SOFTSHELL TURTLE (NILSSONIA HURUM)
  • Distribution and Habitat
    • Distribution: It is found throughout the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra basins of Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
    • Habitat and Ecology: Wetlands (inland), Artificial/Aquatic & Marine.
  • Major threats
    • Habitat degradation
    • Illegal trade – It is in demand in both domestic and international (east Asian) food markets and can occasionally be found as individuals in domestic pet trade.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN: EN
    • WPA: Schedule-1
    • CITES: Appendix-1
2) GREEN SEA TURTLE (CHELONIA MYDAS) [ALSO KNOWN AS GREEN TURTLE, BLACK TURTLE, OR PACIFIC GREEN TURTLE]
  • Details
    • Its common name refers to the green fat found beneath its carapace, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black.
    • They are herbivorous and consume sea grass, algae etc.
  • Habitat and Distribution
    • They extend throughout tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.
    • In India, it occurs in East coast, West Coast, Lakshadweep, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
      • In MHA, they are often spotted by locals
  • Conservation Status
    • IUCN: EN
    • CITES: Appendix-1
    • WPA: Schedule-1
3) ASSAM ROOFED TURTLE (PANGSHURA SYLHETENSIS)
  • Details
    • It is a species of turtle found in Brahmaputra-Meghna draining in India (Assam) and parts of Eastern Bangladesh.
  • Habitat and Distribution
    • Habitat: It has specialized habitat requirements for clear flowing streams.
    • Distribution: It is known to be distributed in north-east India.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Endangered
    • CITES: Appendix II
    • WPA: Schedule-1

6. REPTILES: VULNERABLE TURTLE/TORTOISE IN NEWS

1) LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE (DERMOCHELYS CORIACEA)

IUCN: VU

WPA: Schedule-1

It is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile.

    • They can weigh as much as 900 kgs. ‘

It is the only species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae.

It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell. Instead, its carapace, is covered by skin and oil flesh.

Diet: Jelly fish is their primary food. Important top predators in marine environment.

Habitat: tropical and subtropical oceans Threats

    • High sea fishing operations, harvesting of eggs, destruction of nests by wild predators and domesticated species such as cats, dogs and pigs.
    • Artificial lighting ,disorient hatchlings and adults and cause them to migrate inland rather than towards the sea.
    • Threats to habitats : Construction, mining and plantation of exotics.

Distribution:

They are found in all oceans (tropical and temperate waters) except the Arctic and Antarctic.

    • In Asia, they nest only in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
    • In India thepopulation isrestricted to Great and Little Nicobar Islands.
2) OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLES (LEPIDOCHELYS OLIVACEA)
  • Introduction
    • Olive Ridley Sea turtle, also known as the Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle, is a medium sized species of turtle found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the pacific and Indian Oceans. It is the most abundant of all sea turtles in the world.
    • Conservation status
      • The Olive Ridley turtle is classified as Vulnerable according to IUCN and listed in Appendix 1 of CITES.
      • The turtles are also protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act (Schedule 1 – Part II).
  • Specialty
    • These species along with their cousin the Kemps Ridley turtle (CR) are known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
  • Where are they found in India?
    • Gahirmatha Beach in the Kendrapada district of Odisha, which is also part of Bhitarkanika Wildlife sanctuary, is the largest breeding grounds for these turtles.
      • Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, which bounds the Bhitarkanika WLS to the east, was created in 1997. it extends from Dhamra River mouth in the north to Brahamani river mouth in the south.
      • It is known as world’s largest Olive Ridley rookery, the animals come here in lakhs for mating and laying eggs.
      • Mass nesting in the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary occurred from March 9-23, 2021 and over 3 lakh eggs were laid during this period.
    • Other mass nesting beaches in Odisha
      • Beaches at the mouth of rivers Rushikulya and Devi.
      • The Rushikulya river mouth is considered the second-biggest rookery in India after Gahirmatha.
      • Oliver Ridley turtles stayed away from Rushikulya in Odisha in 2021. But experts said that it was a natural phenomenon and is not unusual.
  • Other parts of the world
    • Coast of Orissa is the largest mass nesting site for Olive Ridley turtles followed by coast of Mexico and Coast of Costa Rica.

 

3) INDIAN STAR TORTOISE

  • It is a threatened species of tortoise found in dry and scrub forests in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
  • They are distributed from India (except lower Bengal), extending west to Sindh Province and SriLanka.
  • Protection Status
    • IUCN: VU
    • WPA: Schedule IV
    • CITES: Appendix 1 (updated in 2019 from appendix 2 to Appendix-1)
  • Key threats
    • Species popularity in the exotic pet trade makes it vulnerable. It is one of the most trafficked tortoise species in the world owing to the unique star like radiating pattern on the shell.

 

4) OTHER VULNERABLE TURTLES

Black Spotted Turtle (Geoclemys hamiltonni)/ Spotted Pond Turtle/ Indian Pond Turtle

    • It is a medium size freshwater turtle which is endemic to South Asia. It is mainly black with small yellowish spots and a much-elevated carapace.
    • The species is distributed across the North, Northeast and a few parts of Central India in states of Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, UP, UK, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, MP etc.
    • Earlier hunted for meat, is now more sought after as an exotic pet.

 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise

Why in news?

    • Seychelles has gifted India a pair of giant Aldabra Tortoise in a good will gesture and as a symbol of ever-lasting friendship.

Intro

    • The Aldabra giant tortoise, from the island of the Aldabra atoll in the Seychelles. It is one of the largest tortoise in the world.
    • In past, it was found on many of the western Indian Ocean Islands, as well as Madagascar
    • Threat Status: VU in IUCN Red list
    • Protection Status: It is listed in CITES appendix II.

 

Indian Soft-Shell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica), or Ganges Soft Shell Turtle

Intro: It is a species of soft-shell turtle found in South Asia in rivers such as the Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi.

Protection and Conservation Status

    • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
    • Listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

Main Dangers

    • Its meat is considered a delicacy in parts of TN and hence is traded illegally.

7. REPTILES: INVASIVE TURTLE IN NEWS

1) RED EARED SLIDER TURTLES
  • It derives its name from the red stripes around the part where its ears would be and from its ability to slide quickly off any surface into the water.
  • It is native to USA and northern Mexico and is an extremely popular pet due to its small size, easy maintenance, and relatively low cost.
  • They grow fast and leave virtually nothing for the native species to eat. Thus, it is also an invasive species. In India it has already affected states such as Karnataka and Gujarat.
  • It is threatening to invade the natural water bodies across the North-east, home to 21 of the 29 vulnerable native Indian species of freshwater turtles and tortoises.
  • A recent study by a team of herpetologists have found red eared slider in the Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ugratara temple pond – both in Guwhati. Another study has found red-eared slider from an unnamed stream, connected to Tlwang river, on a farm near Mizoram capital Aizwal.
  • Preventing its invasion of Brahmaputra and other river systems of northeast is especially important because the north-east is home to 72% of the turtle and tortoise species in the country.
  • Note: It is traded legally, but perhaps the time has come for the government to come up with regulations against keeping invasive as pets.

8. REPTILES:

1) WORLD SNAKE DAY: 16TH JULY 2023
  • History:
  • World Snake Day is an annual event celebrated on July 16th to raise awareness about the importance of snakes and to dispel some of the myths and fears that surround them.
  • It was first celebrated in 2006 by the Snakebite Survivors Network (SSN) and the International Society of Herpetologists (ISU).
  • National Zoological Park, New Delhi has celebrated World Snake Day on 16th July 2023.
2) SNAKES OF INDIA
  • Snakes have been slithering on earth for more than a 100 years. These creatures have evolved from lizards.
  • Globally, more than 34,00 species of snakes have been identified. India, is home to 350 species of snakes. Thus number is increasing constantly as a result of new discoveries. But only 15% of these are venomous.

 

A) THE BIG FOUR

  • The four venomous snake species responsible for causing the greatest number of medically significant human snake bite cases on Indian subcontinent are sometimes collectively referred to as the Big Four.
  • They Include the following snakes:
Russel's Viper: Daboia russelii:
It is native to Indian subcontinent. They are mainly nocturnal.
Their hiss is amongst the loudest hiss of the snakes in the country.

IUCN Status: LC

They are responsible for more than 40% of snake bites in India.
Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus):
It is a nocturnal snake and thus most of the human encounters happen at night.

IUCN: Not Evaluated

They are responsible for around 18% of snake bites in India.
Indian Cobra (Naja Naja):
Indian Cobra is a species of the genus Naja found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. It is also known as the spectacled Cobra, Asian Cobra, or binocellate Cobra.
Conservation Status:
• It is not a threatened species and is not listed in IUCN Red List.
• It is listed under Appendix II of CITES because it closely resembles other species that are threatened and in need of protection.

About Genome Sequencing
A large international team of researchers affiliated with corporate and academic institutions has sequenced the genome of the Indian Cobra. They have published their paper in the journal Nature Genetics.Thegroupdescribestheirgoaltodevelop an anti-venom.
Need: Every year around 5 million people around the world are bitten by Venomous snake - around 1 lakh loose their lives. Four snakes - the common Krait, the Russell's Viper, the saw scaled Viper and the Indian Cobra do the most harm. Further, scientists have been unsuccessful in developing anti-venom against these snakes so far.
With gene sequencing scientists are hoping that it would be lead to development of an antivenom based on synthetic recombinant venom built from protein.
Indian Saw Scaled Viper (Echis Carinatus):
It is a venomous viper species found in West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia.
It is the smallest member of the big four snake that are responsible for causing the most snakebite cases and deaths, due to various factors including their frequent occurrence in highly populated region, and their inconspicuous nature.
IUCN: Note Evaluated
3) KING COBRA (OPHIOPHAGUS HANNAH)
  • It is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. They can reach upto 18 feet in length, making them longest of all venomous snakes.
  • Habitation and Distribution
    • King Cobra lives mainly in the rain forests and plains in India, southern China and South East Asia. They are comfortable in a variety of habitats, including forests, bamboo thickets, mangrove swamps, high altitude grasslands, and in rivers.
    • In India, they are known from Odisha and Jharkhand. Recently (Aug 2022), it has been confirmed that their habitat has expanded to Central India (Chhattisgarh) as well.
  • Food:
    • , and small mammals.
  • Other They are carnivores and it other snakes, lizards, eggs special features
    • They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge.
    • It is best known as the species of choice for the snake charmers of South Asia. Though, they can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead.
    • Snake charming is “often a sad con game in which an exhausted cobra is put on the defensive, yet conditioned (with pain) not to strike the flutist,” Smithsonian’s National Zoo says
  • Protection Status: They face a variety of threats stemming from human activities, these snakes are vulnerable to extinction.
    • IUCN Status: VU
    • CITES: Appendix-II
    • WPA: Schedule-II
  • Note: It is different from Indian Cobra (Naja naja) which is not a threatened species.
  • Increase in sightings in Human Settlement in Odisha
    • Disturbances caused by forest fires and other human activities may cause the king cobras to come to their natural habitats in the forests to human habitats.
    • The dwindling population of prey in forests could be other reason.
    • 31 nesting spots of King Cobras have been confirmed in the Korba forest range.
    • Note: Earlier, there was no known evidence of the longest venomous snake in Chhattisgarh or all of central India before this.
    • King Cobras require a continuous forest patch. Their presence indicates that the habitat is performing better in terms of ecosystem services.
4) RETICULATED PYTHON 

It is the longest snake (third heaviest) in the world regularly reaching 6.25m in length. The longest reticulated python ever recorded was 10 metres.

It is a non-venomous snake.

IUCN: LC (wide distribution)

Distribution: Native to South and South-east Asia

Habitat: Rainforests, woodlands, grasslands.


5) INDIAN RAT SNAKE (PTYAS MUCOSA)/ ORIENTAL RAT SNAKE / INDIAN RAT SNAKE 

It is a common non-venomous species of Columbidae family found in south and Southeast Asia. In northern India they are also called Dhamans.

They are famous for their crawling speed and large size. They are a farmer’s friend, as they help control the rodent population from destroying crops.

They are favorite meals of King Cobra.

6) INDIAN ROCK PYTHON 

It is one of the heaviest and longest snakes found in India.

Despite being common in most part of the country it is difficult to see them in the wild as they are nocturnal and arboreal snakes. They have a thermal sensing pit on their jaws.

 
7) OTHER VULNERABLE SNAKES

Burmese Rock Python (Python bivittatus)

    • Note1: It is found in SE Asia, Southern China, and North-Eastern Indian region.
    • Note2: It is an invasive species in Southeastern United States and it reached there as a result of pet trade.
    • https://youtu.be/9CddEykqaKk

 

Andaman Krait (Bungarus andamanesis)

    • It is a species of venomous snake found in Andaman Islands only.

 

Walnut Kukri Snake (Oligodon juglandifer)

    • It is found in N-E India mostly in Darjeeling hills and Sikkim. It inhabits montane grasslands and lowland and montane moist forests.

9. REPTILES: GECKOS, LIZARDS ETC.

A) GECKOS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

ANNAIKATTI GECKO

    • Distribution
      • Anaikatti hills (near Coimbatore)
A) GECKOS: ENDANGERED: JEYPORE GROUND GECKO (ALSO CALLED JEYPORE INDIAN GECKO) (CYRTODACTYLUS JEYPORENSIS)
  • Why in news?
    • Rare Jeypore Ground Gecko listed in Appendix 2 of CITES to stall its trafficking (Nov 2022)

IUCN: EN

CITES: Appendix-II

WPA: Not included yet.

It was first discovered in 1877, from Jeypore forests of resent day-Odisha.

It was considered extinct before its rediscovery in 2010 in eastern ghats of Odisha.

Distribution: the lizard inhabit semi-evergreen forests in high elevation areas of eastern ghats of Southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh.

Illegal trade – Species look handsome and docile making it a good candidate for pet trade. It is popular among breeders in and outside India.

10. OTHER GECKO SPECIES

A) SISPARA DAY GECKO (CNEMASPIS SISPARENSIS) (NT)
  • It’s a large gecko which dwells usually in Forests, it is largely insectivorous and nocturnal.
  • Habitat / Distribution: Endemic to western Ghats, and found in Sispara, Nilgiris, Kavalai near Cochin.
  • Threats: Habitat conversion and modification.
B) TOKAY GECKO (GEKKO GECKO) (LC)
  • Introduction
    • It is a nocturnal arboreal gecko in the genus Gekko, the true geckos. It is native to Asia and some pacific island countries.
    • Distribution: The species occur in northeast India, Bhutan, Nepal,andBangladesh,throughout Southeast Asia,including Phillipines and Indonesia and to western New Guinea in Melanesia.
    • Feature
      • Tokay geckos are the second largest geckos in the world today.
      • Distinctive in appearance, and known for its loud mating call, Tokay is about 11-20 inches in length weighing 150-400 gms.
    • Conservation Status
      • IUCN: LC
      • Wildlife Protection Act of India: Included in Scheduled III as highly endangered animal.
      • CITES: Appendix – 2
    • Threats
      • Poaching for medicinal trades in parts of Asia.
        • Ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine t
          • Dried up body part is reportedly used as aphrodisiac.
        • Highly sought after in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and other parts of Asia
      • Kept as pet High profile advanced research

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