The list of found and identified at Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary

Species Preferred habitat at Notes Sanctuary Common Vinesnake Old Forest, Young Forest, Common. Hard to find but Ahaetulla nasuta Orchard found around the sanctuary Beddome’s Keelback Old Forest, Young Forest Common. Often seen Amphiesma beddomei moving through leaf-litter in shady areas Collared Indian Cat Old Forest, house Rarely seen. Nocturnal and arboreal Boiga nuchalis 4. Painted Bronzeback Old Forest, Garden Rarely seen. Arboreal Tree Snake Dendrolaphis pictus 5. Common Old Forest Rarely seen. Arboreal Bronzeback Tree Snake Dendrelaphis tristis 6. Indian Trinket Old Forest Rarely seen. Terrestrial and Snake (Common) crepuscular Coelognathus helena Common Wolf Snake House Uncommon. Nocturnal. aulicus Occasionally found in or near house Travancore Wolf Snake House As above Lycodon travancoricus Streaked Kukri Snake (Russel’s) Oligodon taeniolata Black-Spotted Kukri Old Forest, Young Forest Common. Length 30-40cm. Snake Terrestrial. Found in leaf- Oligodon venustus litter. Indian Rat Snake Garden Common. Seen often. (Common) Length around 2m. Ptyas mucosa Olivaceous-brown in colour but variable. Checkered Keelback River, Pond Common. Often found Water Snake inside fallen tree over river. Xenochrophis piscator Length 65cm. Indian Krait (Common) Garden, House Occasional sightings. Bungarus caeruleus Nocturnal. Length 70cm. Black Slender Coral Garden, Orchard Occasional sightings. Snake Length 70-80cm. Lives Calliophis nigrescens underground 15. King Cobra Old Forest, Garden Rare. Few sightings only. Ophiophagus hannah Length 2m. Attempted to nest in garden? 16. Russel’s Viper Orchard, Lemongrass Rare. Two sightings only. Daboia russelii Length 1.2m. 17. Hump-nosed Pit Old Forest Rare. One sighting. Length Viper 30cm. Terrestrial - found in Hypnale hypnale leaf-litter. 18. Malabar Pit Viper Old Forest, Garden, Common. Length 40-50cm. (Rock) Orchard Terrestrial and arboreal (up Trimeresurus to 2-3m above ground). malabaricus 18. Large-scaled Pit Viper Trimeresurus macrolepis

References:

Daniel, J.C.; 2002; ‘The Book of Indian and Amphibians’; BNHS & Oxford University Press, UK Indraniel, Das; 2002; ‘Snakes and other Reptiles of , a Photographic Guide’; New Holland Publishers Ltd, UK Whitaker, R.; 1978; ‘Common Indian Snakes – a field guide’; Macmillan India Ltd, India