Reptile Rap Newsletter of the South Asian Network ISSN 2230-7079 No.12 | May 2011

Contents

First record of Yellow-spotted Wolf flavomaculatus (Wall, 1907) from Chirner Forest, Uran, -- Nitin S. Walmiki, Siddhesh Karangutkar, Aniket Jadhav, Siddharth Parab & N.S. Achyuthan, Pp. 2–3

Sighting of Slender melanurus in , Eastern Ghats, : a new record -- M. Bubesh Guptha & M. Rajasekhar, Pp. 4–6

Chromogenicity in males during mating in Indian wall Hemidactylus flaviviridis (Ruppell) -- Ranjeeta Chatterjee, Vaishali Bansod & K.K. Sharma, Pp. 6–8

Is it possible to create a safe habitat for muggers of Vishwamitri River, State, India? -- Raju Vyas, Pp. 9–11

Date of publication: 09 May 2011

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REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 First record of Yellow-spotted Wolf Snake days for further observation. Lycodon flavomaculatus (Wall, 1907) from During this observation period Chirner Forest, Uran, Maharashtra it fed on Brook’s House Hemidactylus brookii; the Nitin S. Walmiki 1, Siddhesh Karangutkar 2, Aniket snake was very calm, which 2 3 3 Jadhav , Siddharth Parab & N.S. Achyuthan is exactly opposite that of any

1,2 National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Lokhandawala Road, other wolf snake . The Andheri (West), Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053 India specimen was then released 3 CON (Care of Nature), Veshvi, Chirner, Uran, Maharashtra, India at the same spot in Chirner Email: 1 [email protected] (corresponding author) Forest. The other specimen was not in a good condition; A rare snake species, a this was the first time that a it was found dead by the road Yellow-spotted Wolf Snake Yellow-spotted Wolf Snake side, so only the length was Lycodon flavomaculatus was was found in the area. measured (22cm). reported from Chirner Forest, One specimen was male, Lycodon flavomaculatus is Uran, Maharashtra. On 07 about 24.1cm long and a threatened species (Molur August 2010 two specimens of weighed 12.4g. This species & Walker 1998) it is slender- the snake were collected from of wolf snake was identified bodied, smooth scaled, with Chirner Forest in Uran Taluka, by the scale count method a flattened head slightly a historical place, known for (Table 1) and by external broader than the neck, a its famous Jungle Satyagraha appearance (Image 1) as in broad snout projects beyond movement on 25 September Maharashtra, yellow spotted lower jaw. Eye entirely black. 1930. Chirner, a protected forms of the barred wolf Glossy black above with forest situated (18050’48.40”N snake Lycodon striatus are series of small, bright yellow & 73003’36.14”E) around frequently mistaken for this spots along the vertebral 70km from Mumbai suburbs, species (Whitaker & Captain line. Arising from the spots is is a semievergreen forest with 2008). The specimen was a yellow or white band that a variety of herpetofauna, but then kept captive for two widens and becomes indistinct

Image 1. Yellow-spotted Wolf Snake Lycodon flavomaculatus 2 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 Table 1. Scale count of Lycodon flavomaculatus Zoo Outreach Organisation & CBSG, India, Coimbatore, Scale Count India, 175pp. Scale skin 17:17:15 rows, smooth Nande, R. & S. Deshmukh Ventral 175 (2007). of Amravati Anal divided sub codal 58 paired District including Melghat, Maharashtra, with important Preocular 1 recrd of Indian Egg Eater, Postocular 2 Montane Triket and Indian Temporal 2+3 Smooth Snake, Zoo’s Print Supralabial 9 (3rd to 5th touching eye) Journal 22(12): 2920-2924. Loreal 1 (touches internasal) Vyas R. (2000). A review of reptile studies in Gujarat state, Zoo’s Print Journal 15(12): 386-390. on the sides. Lip scales are of Indian it comes Vyas, R. & K.B. Upadhaya white underneath (Whitaker & under VU (Vulnerable) species (2008). On the Occurrence of Captain 2008). (Molur & Walker 1998). Lycodon flavomaculatus Wall, This species is endemic to 1907 in Gujarat State, India. SAURIA, Berlin 30(1): 55-58. India and has been recorded References from only a few places in and Whitaker, R. & A. Captain (2008). Snakes of India - The around the of D’ Abreu, E.A. (1928). Record of Field Guide Snakes of India - Maharashtra namely, Nashik, Nagpur Museum No. VI. A list The Field Guide. Draco Books, Pune, Mulshi, Talegaon, of reptiles of central provinces. Chennai, Xiv+481pp. Deolali, Dharwad, Sangli, Govt. press, Nagpur, 1-13. Khaire N. (2008). A Guide to Buldhana and Oudh (Whitaker Acknowledgement the Snakes of Maharashtra & Captain 2008). D’Abreu Goa and . United The authors want to thank the (1928) also mentioned a Multicolour Printer Pvt. Ltd., local people from Chirner, Raju record of this species from Pune, 80-81pp. Mumbaikar, Raja Patil (Members Buldhana, Maharashtra (old Molur, S. & S. Walker (eds.) of CON), and Vinayak Puranik for name Wall’s Wolf Snake), it (1998). Reptiles of India. their valuable field work with us. Biodiversity Conservation is also recorded from Melghat The authors are grateful to Dr. Prioritisation Project (BCPP) region (Nande & Deshmukh Vaishali Somani & Mr. Anil Kubal India, Endangered Species for their constant support and 2007) and Vadodara, Gujarat Project - Conservation motivation. State (Vyas 2000, 2008). Assessment and Management According to IUCN status Plan (C.A.M.P.) workshops.

3 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 Sighting of Slender Coral Snake Calliophis large chunk of dry deciduous melanurus in Seshachalam Hills, Eastern Red Sanders bearing forest, Ghats, India: a new record forming catchments to and Penna M. Bubesh Guptha 1 & M. Rajasekhar 2 rivers, both in Chittoor and Cuddapah districts. The 1 Wildlife Institute of India, Post Box ≠.18, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India area also consists of natural 2 Department of Zoology, Sri Venkateswara University, , Andhra grassland. The specimen Pradesh 517502, India Email: 1 [email protected] (corresponding author) was identified based on descriptions available in the literature (Smith 1943; Schulz The family (Boie (Sharma 1971; Sanyal et al. 1996; Daniel 2002; Whitaker 1827) is represented by over 1993). & Captain 2004). 60 genera and 300 known With this background, we species distributed throughout report sighting Calliophis Description the tropical and subtropical melanurus in The Slender Coral Snake regions. The snakes of this on the 17 November 2009 is light brown and to some family are further divided during our field surveys from extent speckled. Its head into six subfamilies namely 18 September 2009 to 25 and neck are black with two Bungarinae, Calliophinae, December 2009. We found the prominent yellow spots on Elapinae, Hydrophiinae, snake near the forest complex the top of the head. A shabby Laticaudinae and Maticorinae close to Kapilathreetham black ring is seen at both the (Mirza & Pal 2010). In the Temple, (13038’N & 79025’E) tail-base and tail-tip, each oriental region the elapids Chitoor District, Andhra scale speckled with brown are represented by 13 genera Pradesh (Image 1). This and the underside is coral red and 36 species (Whitaker reserved forest, forming part (Image 2). This can often & Captain 2004). Oriental of the Eastern Ghats, consists be confused with Dumeril’s coral snakes are included of unique flora and fauna. Black-headed Snake which in three genera namely The highly endangered flora has a pale yellow underside Calliophis, Hemibungarus like beddomei and and a much longer gradually and Sinomicrurus (Slowinski highly priced endemic species tapering tail. The underside et al. 2001). Calliophis like Pterocarpus santalinus of is melanurus Shaw, 1802 is grow luxuriantly. The entire pinkish-red in colour (Image more widespread than all the sanctuary is an uninhabited 3). Its head is blunt and has other species of the occurring in peninsular India and (Daniel 2002); Whitaker & Captain (2004) state that it probably occurs in most of peninsular India (except the extreme north- west), with definite records from Gujarat, Maharashtra,

Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Appd Nadu and West Bengal; there is a single record from Dhar, (Vyas & 20000000 20000000 40000000 Miles Vyas 1981) and Nallamala, northern Andhra Pradesh Images 1. Area where Calliophis melanurus was sighted in Andhra Pradesh 4 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 the protection of habitat is an important aspect in the conservation of such species.

Reference

Daniel, J.C. (2002). The Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians. Bombay Natural History Society & Oxford University Press. Mumbai, viii+238pp. Mirza, Z. & S. Pal (2010). Notes on the effect of a bite from Image 2. Slender Coral Snake Calliophis melanurus. Calliophis melanurus Shaw, 1802 (Serpents: Elapidae Calliophinae). Reptile Rap the same width as that of the Also they are fine burrowers Newsletter of the South Asian neck. The scales are smooth in sandy soil and can lay Reptile Network 9(January): and faintly glossy. Its small motionless with just their head 7–8. eyes are entirely black. noticeable. In excitement, Molur, S. & S. Walker (eds.) The Slender Coral Snake they curl up their tails and (1998). Reptiles of India. Biodiversity Conservation is one of five Indian coral wave them, exhibiting the Prioritisation Project (BCPP) snakes, the other four being startling underside colours, India, Endangered Species hill forest species, which can thus taking attention away Project - Conservation be seen in the Western Ghats from the head. Assessment and Management and the Eastern Himalaya. Status: Rare. Species and Plan (C.A.M.P.) workshops. Mostly they are seen in litters, listed as Lower Risk-Near Zoo Outreach Organisation & CBSG, India, Coimbatore, burrows, and under sand in Threatened (Molur & Walker India, 175pp. captivity areas Whitaker & 1998). Khaire, N. (2006). Snake Captain (2004); mainly under With this addition the of Maharashtra Goa and ground, under stones (Khaire number of snake species Karnataka. The Field Guide, 2006); and scrub forests known from Andhra Pradesh 52pp. (Sharma 1971; Sanyal et reaches 41 (Sanyal et al. Rao, K.T., H.V. Ghate, A.M. Sudhakar, S.M.M. Javed al. 1993). These are mainly 1993; Daniel 2002; Whitaker & I.S.R. Krishna (2005). nocturnal snakes, but on & Captain 2004; Rao et al. Herpetofauna of Nallamalai rare occasions they become 2005; Srinivasulu & Das Hills with eleven new records active in the early morning 2008). for the region including ten hours of the cooler months. The record of Calliophis new records for Andhra melanurus in Seshachalam Pradesh. Zoos’ Print Journal 20(1): 1737–1740. Hills shows our incomplete Sanyal, D.P., B. Dattagupta understanding of the & N.C. Gayen (1993). distribution of fauna. We Reptilia, pp. 1–63. In: Ghosh, recommend that further A.K. (ed.). Fauna of Andhra studies be carried out in Pradesh—Part 1. (Reptilia, the Eastern Ghats and its Amphibia, Fishes). Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta. surrounding areas at the Schulz, K.D. (1996). A earliest possible opportunity Monograph of The Colubrid to confirm the presence of Snakes of The Genus Elaphe Calliophis melanurus. Also Fitzinger. Koeltz Scientific Image 3. Caudal part of Calliophis everyone should realise that Books, 439pp. melanurus. 5 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 Sharma, R.C. (1971). The reptile Chromogenicity in males during mating in fauna of the Nagarjunasagar Indian wall lizards Hemidactylus flaviviridis Dam area (Andhra Pradesh, India). Records of the (Ruppell) Zoological Survey of India Ranjeeta Chatterjee 1, Vaishali Bansod 2 & K.K. Sharma 3 63(1–4):77–93. Slowinkski, J.B., J. Boundy 1,2 Department of Zoology, Prof. Ramkrishna More Arts, Commerce and & R. Lawson (2001). The Science College, Akurdi, Pune, Maharashtra, India phylogenetic relationships of 3 Department of Zoology, Jamshedpur Co-Operative College, Jamshedpur, Asian coral snakes (Elapidae: Jharkhand, India Email: 1 [email protected] (corresponding author) Calliophis and Maticora) based on morphological and molecular characters. Herpetologica 57(2): 233– In lizards, chemical, The lizards, unlike 245. auditory and visual cues play mammals, do not mate Smith, M.A. (1943). The Fauna key roles in courtship patterns from the back, as it is not of British India, Ceylon and (Frankenberg 1982; Cooper & possible, for most lizards Burma, Including the Whole have hard, spiny scales on of the Indo-Chinese Sub- Vitt 1987). The movement- Region. Reptilia and Amphibia based visual signals, like the back. Rather, the male - 3 (Serpentes). Today characteristic postures and approaches the female and Tomorrow’s Printers & changes in body colouration from the side, biting slightly Publishers, New Delhi, Indian during mating are common on the neck of the female, Reprint 1974, 583pp. in diurnal lizards (Carpenter and tries to get the cloaca of Srinivasulu, C. & I. Das the female in a position as (2008). The herpetofauna & Ferguson 1977), while of Nallamala Hills, Eastern nocturnal lizards mostly close as possible. The male Ghats, India: an annotated depend on vocal or chemical lizard has paired copulatory checklist, with remarks on signals for courtship (Shine organs, called hemipenes. nomenclature, , & Mason 2001). The reptiles They are within the ventral habitat use, adaptive types are well known for their ability portion of the tail, covered and biogeography. Asiatic in sheaths. A vas deferens Herpetological Research 11: to change body colouration in 110–131. response to stimuli as well as connects each testicle to one Vyas, T.P. & M. Vyas (1981). for communication purposes of the hemipenes. The lizard’s A note on the Slender Coral during mating (Carpenter & testicles are located inside Snake, Callophis melanurus. Ferguson 1977). The Indian the body. During mating, Journal of the Bombay Natural Wall Lizard Hemidactylus the hemipenis closer to the History Society 78: 611–612. female becomes erected. The Whitaker, R. & A. Captain flaviviridis, a common lizard (2004). Snakes of India - found in residences has a hemipenes of many species of The Field Guide. Draco Books, light brown colour, does not lizard is adorned with thorns or Chennai, xiv+481pp. show sexual dichromatism ‘hooks’ of some kind, securing and is reported to have a a hold during mating. The Acknowledgment breeding season from March sexual organs are concealed I would like to thank P. to June (Bhattacharjee 2008). within the cloaca in lizards Mallikaarjuna Rao, Chief (Simms 2006). Conservator of Forest (CCF), Observations on courtship and G. Ramalingam, Divisional and the mating behavior of Forest Officer (DFO), Wildlife the H. flaviviridis were done Methods Management Circle, Tirupati during the present study. The present study was Andhra Pradesh Forest In the present paper, the done on H. flaviviridis, Department. development of a distinct which were observed during colour patch on the dorsal courtship and mating. The side of the trunk of the male observation was done at during mating is reported. Jamshedpur, Jharkhand State,

6 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 India, by one of the authors. The pair was strictly observed in a room of the observer’s residence for three days prior to mating, as they started showing prominent breeding behaviour like running after each other and vocal signals were also heard. No third lizard was allowed to enter the room during the study period. The mating was seen at 1550hr on 20 April 2008. Image 2. The male and female The ambient temperature of Image 1. Twisted posture of the lizards at post-coital phase, before mating pair the mating site was 32 ± 1°C, complete separation, posture resembling shape of ‘Y’ with 62 ± 2% humidity. The photographs were captured started shaking its tail first, by using a Canon Power shot and then the anterior half of A-410 digital camera. body, i.e., the head, neck and visible to the spectator. At this anterior abdominal region. stage they appeared in the Observation and Result The male, on reaching the shape of a “Y” and remained in During the present female, started biting the this posture for 10-15 seconds observation, the male was left side of the tail base and (Image 2). After that, they found to chase the female gradually moved towards separated completely and the for 2-3 hours prior to mating, the anterior end. When it male suddenly got aggravated as a part of the courtship (it reached the side of the head, and drove away the female. was recognized as a male it started biting the mandible Major findings of the later, after the pictures were of the female and repeatedly present observation are: analyzed). In response, the raised its right hind limb to - The most striking feature female showed aggressive get a hold of the female, near which has not yet been reported behaviour and tried to drive the tail base. Then suddenly in the case of the Indian wall away the male. Ultimately, the it jumped from the left to the lizard is the chromogenicity female became receptive and right side of the female and or development of a colour stopped fleeing and became took a position in a twisted patch which was seen during motionless. The male was manner (Image 1). the present observation. This identified by the distinct colour The coital phase started colour patch developed at the patch developed dorsally. with insertion of hemipenis pre-coital phase in the male The mating could be divided into the cloaca of the female. lizard, and was very distinct into three phases; pre-coital This phase lasted for 10-12 during the coital as well as phase, coital phase and minutes. Both the lizards the post-coital phases (Image post-coital phase. The pre- were found to be motionless 3). The patch gradually coital phase lasted for 15-20 during this phase. As the coital disappeared after 2-3 hours minutes. During this phase, phase got over, suddenly, they of mating. The faded patch the male started shaking its untwisted with a noticeable was observed even 2 hours body and the female stopped jerk. after mating (Image 4). moving. After 5min, the male At the post coital phase, the - The patch was purplish started moving gradually lizards became untwisted, but brown in colour and developed towards the female. In were still in close contact with on the dorsal side of the trunk response, the female also the inserted hemipenis clearly region extending from the

7 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011

Image 4. Male lizard after 2 hours of separation showing fading patches. Image 3. The post-coital male Image 5. Female lizard after lizard with distinct colour patch separation showing eroded skin over body. from the male’s bites. was found to visit the site later, while the female was head to the posterior region not seen to come back to the turcicus. Copeia 770–775. of the trunk. site once being driven away Pandav, B.N., B.A. Shanbhag - The male was found to by the male. The male was & K.S. Srinivas (2007). Ethogram of courtship and visit the site twice after the easily identified and observed mating behaviour of garden completion of mating within afterwards with a faded colour lizard, Calotes versicolor. the next 5 hours, while the patch. The mating behaviour Current Science 93(8): 1164– female was observed trying to of H. flaviviridis has not been 1167. escape from the male as well fully reported including its Shanbhag, B.A. (2003). as from the site after mating. ethogram. This could be done Reproductive strategies in the lizard, Calotes versicolor. - The marks of the male’s bites after more detailed studies. Current Science 84: 646– were distinct on the neck and The chromogenicity in the 652. left side of the trunk of the male lizard could be studied Shine, R. & R.T. Mason (2001). female (Image 5), at some at biochemical as well as Courting male garter snakes places, the skin was found endocrinological levels too. Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis eroded too. use multiple cues to identify potential mates. Behav. Ecol. References Sociobiol. 49: 465–473. Discussion and summary Simms, Alex (2006). Lizard The change in colour during Bhattacharjee, R. (2008). Breeding - Courting/Mating. courtship and mating in case Mating behavior of Indian wall EzineArticles.com. lizard Hemidactylus flaviviridis of reptiles, especially lizards (Rupell), EzineArticles.com. Acknowledgement is common. The courtship Carpenter, C.C. & G.W. The authors take the behaviour has been studied Ferguson (1977). Variation opportunity to express their in Calotes versicolor in detail and evolution of stereotyped gratitude to the Principal of behaviour in reptiles, pp. (Shanbhag 2003; Pandav et Prof. Ramkrishna More Arts, 335–457. In: Gans, C. & D.W. al. 2007). The chromogenicity Commerce and Science College, Tinkle (eds.). Biology of the or development of a colour Akurdi, for providing the facilities. Reptilia, Ecology and Behavior. They are also grateful to Prof. patch in the male lizard is Academic Press, London. K.K. Sharma of Department found to be very striking and Cooper, Jr. W.E. & L.J. Vitt of Zoology of Jamshedpur Co- was not reported earlier. The (1987). Ethological isolation, Operative College, Jamshedpur sexual behaviour and peculiar mating behaviour of for his able guidance. They would pheromones in the fasciatus the wall lizard like the shaking also like to thank Dr. N.S. Sen, species group of the lizard of the body in the male and Reader in Department of Zoology, genus Eumeces. Ethology 75: Ranchi University, Ranchi for his female both, as well as, the 328–336. motivation and support. biting behaviour of the male Frankenberg, E. (1982). Vocal during pre-coital stage is also behaviour of the Mediterranean very uncommon. The male House Gecko, Hemidactylus

8 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 Is it possible to create a safe habitat for the locals also signifies the muggers of Vishwamitri River, Gujarat State, apathetic behaviour of the India? humans. This species is a threatened Raju Vyas reptile in India and legally protected under Schedule I in 505, Krishnadeep Tower, Mission Road, Fatehgunj, Vadodara 2, Gujarat – India the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Email: [email protected] Act. In the late sixties, the species was depleted The river Vishwamitri examples of coexistence of from its entire distribution which flows from east to west man and surviving in range due to illegal hunting, between two large rivers, pure harmony without harming fishing and habitat loss which Narmada and Mahi, is one each other. But since the last brought muggers to the of the non-perennial rivers few decades this harmony edge of extinction. But now, in Gujarat State. There is a has been disturbed. A total the mugger population is small population of Mugger or of 19 fatal attacks on human flourishing well due to the legal Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus beings have been accounted protection and the success of palustris) flourishing in the for by this mugger species. ex situ programmes, especially river (Image 1). This species is The account of attacks by due to the grow and release one of the common crocodilian both, humans and muggers practices. The Mugger is the species in comparison to the is noticed in some sort of most adapting species found other two crocodiles: Estuarine balance. Doubtlessly there in various types of habitats or Salt Water Crocodile (C. are some definite and valid ranging from rivers to large porosus) and Gharial (Gavialis reasons behind all the attacks lakes, to small puddles and gangeticus). by muggers on humans but on village tanks and also, in road The muggers of Vishwamitri the other hand, the numbers side ditches of many Indian are one of the extraordinary of muggers killed brutally by states, including Gujarat.

Image 1. The Mugger (C. palustris) basking on river banks of Vishwamitri in the middle of Vadodara City, Gujarat State, India. 9 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 Table 1. Proposed most possible potential location sites for development of ‘Mugger Refuge’ within Vadodara City, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

Site No 1 Site No 2 Site No 3 Site No 4 Site No 5 22020’4.7”N 22018’12.7”N 22017’43.8”N 22017’22.5”N 22014’4.1”N 1 Location: Geo-coordinates 73012’7.0”E 73011’12.1”E 73010’56.8”E 73010’34.1”E 73010’11.4”E Nr. Bhimnath B/h Tractor Co. Nr. Vadsar Area and closed location Sama B/h Palace area 2 & Fast trek court & near Munj- Bridge City mhuda Bridge. 3 Status of lands Not known Not known Not known Not known Not known Water body. Water body. Water body. Nesting, A number of Present scenarios of the Nesting and Water body. burrows and Water body. indirect signs location (all the location 4 Burrows and Hatchlings noted two juveniles A sub-adult noticed, may sites are best habitat for two large in the area and a sub- recorded be used by turtles) sighted adult animals a number of observed muggers Land should be covered for 5 1.5km 1.0 km 1.0km 1.0km 1.0km refuge (Approx.) Carrying capacity (roughly 6 120 50 80 50 50 no.) Priority ranked on the basis 8 of requirements of habits Second Fourth First Third -B Third-A and habitat of the species.

The mugger and crocodilian nature has somewhere been through the city. Therefore - like species evolved on the forgotten by us. We step into an urban authority launched earth almost in the age of the crocodilian realm and a multi disciplinary project on dinosaurs. Today dinosaurs than we pollute it, and finally the Vishwamitri River, called are extinct from the earth we try to eliminate them and the ‘Vishwamitri River Re- but crocodilians still survive their habitat forever. We Sectioning & Rejuvenation without any changes. Human do not leave safe spaces for Project’. In this project, beings evolved on the earth such wild animals; whether the authority considers the about 40,000 years ago, muggers or moths or tigers conservation of the mugger much after the crocodilians, or even trees. We as human crocodile and retaining so if we talk about the right to beings do not want the man-animal harmony. They live on earth, then muggers intrusion of any other life want to solve the problem undoubtedly have the first form in our environs or in our by bringing better scientific privilege and foremost jurisdiction, up to our home solutions based on the choice. Here we would not or street or city or country philosophy of ‘live and let want to discuss the rights and or beyond. Our jurisdiction is live’. The authority wishes choices we are yet to make, dependant on our thoughts to mitigate such conflict, but would question why such and beliefs and not on keeping the man and mugger conflict occurs between man nature’s rule of life. relationship intact. and animals. The Hindu But some locals or Therefore the authority Philosophy states that every ‘Vadodara Nivasi’ have has formed a team and had life on earth is born of equal thought about these produced a detailed report rights and ‘live and let live’ muggers in the river. They with the help of a local NGO applies to everyone. This want crocodiles in the river and forest staff, to find a raises the question why we and the river to be clean and few good habitats within the kill any one inhumanely free from pollution. A river existent river stretches within without any reason. in its true sense and not a the city limits. A total of Living in harmony with large natural sewage flowing five river-side pockets were

10 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 (iv) The refuge can provide an alternative opportunity, other than the zoo, for tourist attraction and animal enthusiasts; (v) It would be the best visiting site for science students of schools and universities; (vi) It would function as an ideal field laboratory and a research center for studying aquatic biology; (vii) It would be a good example of ‘conservation of urban wildlife’; (viii) This kind of refuge would be a Image 2. The aerial map of Vadodara City and location sites for safer haven for other wildlife proposed for “Refuge for muggers” in the river side, the pockets were selected after a scientific survey (Courtesy by www.googlearth.com) also, such as aquatic turtles, birds and amphibians, too. A place where all the necessary selected, after a scientific with humans and devoid of requirements of the species survey (Table 1, Image 2). A any interference by man. could be fulfilled ensuring the study was then carried out on There are various benefits wellbeing of its biology and the basis of an assessment of for creating a safe refuge or ecology. the mugger’s habitat and the city sanctuary for mugger Presently a detailed present mugger population. crocodiles within the city proposal has been submitted Other freshwater flora and area. This refuge for muggers to the Principal Conservator fauna were also considered or city sanctuary would be of Forests & Wildlife Warden, for such selection. beneficial for both muggers State Forest Department The report suggested and human beings. (i) Free of Gujarat for approval development of a safer ranging large sized muggers and further consideration habitat on the river stretch would not create any danger before being forwarded to for mugger crocodiles where to human life; (ii) Diminution the Ministry of Environment all notorious and large sized of mugger attacks and and Forests for finalization. (over 3m) muggers could be mitigation of conflicts between So at present, the authority kept. This safe habitat would man and the species; (iii) A and the locals ‘Vadodara be a part of the river and a better solution to the present Nivasi’ eagerly awaiting large landscape, where the interim solution of ‘mugger this permission to develop large animals could freely rescue’ activities from a refuge for the mugger move without any conflict human settlement areas; crocodiles of the Vishwamitri River.

11 REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011

Participants of the Western Ghats Reptile Conservation Assessment and Management Plan Workshop held in Coimbatore on 28 February to 4 March 2011. The assessments are being currently reviewed and the final assessments will be published later this year. REPTILE RAP OPEN ACCESS | FREE DOWNLOAD

Date of publication: 09 May 2011 ISSN: 2230-7079 (online) No. 12 | May 2011 Editor: Sanjay Molur Editorial Advisor: Sally Walker

SARN Co-chairs: Sanjay Molur & S. Bhupathy

REPTILE RAP is the Newsletter of the South Asian Reptile Network (SARN).

REPTILE RAP is published by Zoo Outreach Organisation and Conservation Breeding Specialist Group South as a service to the South Asian reptile conservation community as well as conservation actioners and enthusiasts at large. Reptile Rap is registered under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License, which allows South Asian Reptile Network unrestricted use of articles in any c/o Zoo Outreach Organisation, medium for non-profit purposes, reproduction and distribution by 9-A, Lal Bahadur Colony, PB 1683, Peelamedu, Coimbatore, providing adequate credit to the 641004, India authors and the source of publi- cation. Ph: +91 422 2561743, 2561087; Fax: +91 422 2563269 Email: [email protected] OPEN ACCESS | FREE DOWNLOAD

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