Reptile Rap Newsletter of the South Asian Reptile Network ISSN 2230-7079 No.11, January 2011 Contents A note on snakes of Kanha National Park and surrounding areas -- Sanjay Thakur, Pp. 2-4. Reptilian diversity in and around the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, India -- Raju Vyas, Pp. 5-15. Rescue and rehabilitation of an Indian Mud Turtle Lissemys punctata poisoned with bleaching powder -- Indramani Nath, Subharaj Samantara, Chinmaya Bhuyan and Siddharth Ranabijuli, Pp. 16-18. Sighting of King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah in Arunachal Pradesh, India: a new altitude record for northeastern India -- Harkirat Singh Sangha, Rishad Naoroji & Manoj Sharma, Pp. 19-20 OPEN ACCESS | FREE DOWNLOAD Reptile Rap is registered under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License, which allows unrestricted use of articles in any medium for non-profit purposes, repro- duction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication. 1 REPTILE RAP #11, January 2011 A note on snakes of Kanha National Park and has been compiled. Colubridae surrounding areas has the largest number of species in Kanha area. Notes Sanjay Thakur on the abundance, occurrence and literature sources are Biome Conservation Foundation, 18, Silver Moon, S.No.1/2A/2, Bavdhan Kh., Pune, Maharashtra 411021, India provided. Email: [email protected], [email protected] Typhlopidae 1. Ramphotyphlops Kanha National Park (KNP) Snakes were identified based braminus (Daudin, 1803) is situated about 160km south on Smith (1943) and Whitaker Brahminy Worm Snake east of Jabalpur in Madhya & Captain (2004). In addition Note: Observed in Khatiya Pradesh. It is one of the most to this, published literature area in a termite mound dug important tiger reserves of was reviewed. by local people. Also seen India and is situated in prime The study area is KNP and during the day on Kisli Road Sal forest well known for its villages in the surrounding (June 2007) after the first rich diversity of endemic area. Moulton & Hulsey monsoon showers. mammals and birds. Since (1999) have reported four Literature: Sanyal & Sur its establishment in 1973, principle vegetation types (1995) the faunal diversity of Kanha in KNP: moist deciduous 2. Grypotyphlops acutus Tiger Reserve (KTR) has been forest, dry deciduous forest, (Duméril & Bibron, 1844) surveyed by wildlife scientists valley meadow and plateau Beaked Worm Snake and naturalists. A perusal of meadow. Shorea robusta Note: Found on forest path published literature shows (Sal) is the dominant species from Mocha to Khatiya in that so far the focus has in the forest and grasslands October 2006. been more on the biology of are interspersed with thick large mammals, birds and tree cover in and around the Pythonidae the management aspects in national park. 3. Python molurus KNP. However, some other A list of 22 species belonging molurus (Linnaeus, 1758) taxa such as snakes have not to 20 genera and five families Indian Rock Python (Image 1) yet been fully documented from the reserve. Sanyal & Sur (1995) have compiled a list of invertebrate as well as vertebrate fauna of KNP but include only nine snake species. Hence, a list of snakes in Kanha based upon primary as well as secondary literature is provided here along with notes to add to the present knowledge. The observations were made between September 2006 and June 2007. During this period, the tourism zone of KNP and reserved forests near Khatiya and Mocha villages were regularly surveyed. Image 1. Python molurus molurus Indian Rock Python 2 REPTILE RAP #11, January 2011 Note: Commonly observed Note: Seen close to Nakti (Daudin, 1803) Common in the tourism zone and forest Ghati anikut in December Bronzeback Tree Snake areas around Mocha and 2006 Note: Observed on a mango Khatiya. Large specimen seen 6. Coelognathus helena tree in Kanha Ghat and also in was around 3.8m (12.5ft) monticollaris (Schulz, 1992) Mocha in March 2007. in Mukki range in March Montane Trinket Snake 10. Lycodon striatus (2007). Juveniles were often Note: Roadkill on Sijhora (Shaw, 1802) Barred Wolf observed in the surrounding Road close to Koila bhatta in Snake RF areas during April 2007. February 2007 Note: Observed on Khatiya In December 2006, seven 7. Ptyas mucosa mucosa road close to Police station jackals hunted and fed on a (Linnaeus. 1758) Indian Rat 11. Lycodon aulicus 2.3m (7.5ft) python in Phuta Snake (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Tal area in the evening. Note: Very common, found Wolf Snake (Image 3) Literature: Sanyal & Sur throughout the park and Note: Common throughout (1995), Moulton & Hulsey surrounding areas. Often the area. Killed specimen (1999) killed in villages. An eight was observed near Kanha feet long specimen was seen Museum. Several were Colubridae on Kanha main Road close to observed around the Mocha 4. Coelognathus radiatus Chamhar Ghat. Village in all seasons. (Boie, 1827) Copper-headed Literature: Sanyal & Sur Literature: Sanyal & Sur Trinket Snake (Image 2) (1995), Moulton & Hulsey (1995), Moulton & Hulsey Note: Seen in Mocha close (1999) (1999) to the stream just after the 8. Argyrogena fasciolata 12. Sibynophis sagittarius beginning of the monsoons. (Shaw, 1802) Banded Racer (Cantor, 1839) Cantor’s Black- Villagers report that it climbs Note: Observed basking headed Snake trees and feeds on birds. on a log near Schaller hide Note: Not seen during the Literature: Negi (2004) Road. survey period 5. Coelognathus helena Literature: Sanyal & Sur Literature: Sanyal & Sur helena (Daudin, 1803) (1995) (1995) Common Trinket Snake 9. Dendrelaphis tristis 13. Amphiesma stolatum (Linnaeus, 1758) Striped Keelback Note: Commonly seen in national park and surroundings after the first monsoon showers. Several killed on road from Tatri to Khatiya 14. Macropisthodon plumbicolor (Cantor, 1839) Green Keelback Note: Juvenile specimen found killed on a rock near Khatiya Gate, March 2007 15. Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider, 1799) Checkered Keelback Note: Common in all streams, rivers, anikuts inside Image 2. Coelognathus radiatus Copper-headed Trinket Snake as well as outside KNP. 3 REPTILE RAP #11, January 2011 Literature: Sanyal & Sur (1995) 23. Echis carinatus (Schneider, 1801) Saw Scaled Viper Note: Doubtful Literature: Moulton & Hulsey (1999) 24. T r i m e r e s u r u s gramineus (Shaw, 1802) Bamboo Pit Viper Note: Observed on bamboo clumps and in tree hole close to Bapsa Behra Road in February 2007 Image 3. Lycodon aulicus Common Wolf Snake Discussion Kanha National Park covers 16. Boiga forsteni E.J. Hulsey (pers. comm.), a large area of well-protected (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, Faiyaz & Eric D’Cunha (pers. Sal forest in almost natural 1854) Forsten’s Cat Snake comm.) conditions. The habitat Note: About 1.1m (3.5ft) 20. Bungarus caeruleus conditions are suitable for individual observed in Mocha (Schneider, 1801) Common many more snake species, Forest on a Sal tree Krait which are seen in Madhya 17. Ahaetulla nasuta Note: Most common Pradesh. However, owing to (Lacepède, 1789) Common venomous snake seen in the lack of comprehensive Vine Snake and around the NP between survey of the entire park area Note: Found close to March and July. 1.4m (4.5ft) only 22 species are noted so viewing point of Bamani long specimen was observed. far. It is thus essential to Dadar. The brown form was Often killed on roads and by conduct an extensive survey noted close to Chai nalla, local people. of the national park area to Kanha range. Literature: Sanyal & Sur record the diversity of snake 18. E l a c h i s t o d o n (1995), Moulton & Hulsey species. westermanni Reinhardt, 1863 (1999) Venomous snakes like Indian Egg-eater Snake 21. Naja naja (Linnaeus, kraits and cobras are very Literature: Included based 1758) Spectacled Cobra commonly seen but bites are upon Handbook of Kanha Note: Occasionally found in seldom reported. In spite of National Park by H.S. Panwar and around the NP throughout this, several venomous as (cited in Moulton & Hulsey the year. Often killed by local well as non venomous snakes 1999) people are killed by the local people Literature: Sanyal & Sur owing to a lack of awareness. Elapidae (1995), Moulton & Hulsey As mentioned in the notes 19. Bungarus fasciatus (1999) above, road kills are common (Schneider, 1801) Banded on the main road to the Krait Viperidae Khatiya gate and also within Note: 1.7m (5.5ft) 22. Daboia russelii (Shaw the park during the tourist specimen was reported in & Nodder, 1797) Russell’s season from October to June Mocha Village in July 2007. Viper end. It is necessary to create Reference: C. Moulton & Note: Rarely seen awareness amongst tourist 4 REPTILE RAP #11, January 2011 vehicle drivers to avoid road Reptilian diversity in and around the kills and take other measures Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, to minimize them. India References Raju Vyas 505, Krishnadeep Tower, Fatehgunj, Vadodara, Gujarat 390002, India Moulton C. & E.J. Hulsey Email: [email protected] (1999). Kanha Tiger Reserve, Portrait of an Indian National Park. Vakils, Feffer and Simons With varied topography Table 1. List of earlier records Ltd., Mumbai, 220pp. and environmental conditions, of reptilian species from the sanctuary Negi, H.S. (2004). First record of Gujarat State harbours a the Copperhead Snake Elaphe rich and unique diversity of Name of Species radiata from Madhya Pradesh. reptiles. Present reptilian Crocodylidae Journal of Bombay Natural fauna composition of Gujarat 1 Crocodylus palustris * History Society 101(1): 166. State contains 114 species of Chamaelionidae Panwar, H.S. (1991). Kanha reptiles (Gayen 1999; Vyas 2 Chameleon zealanicus * # National Park - A Handbook. 2000a, 2000b, 2007; Vyas et Agamidae Centre for Environment al. 2006; Vyas 2007). 3 Calotes calotes * # Education, Ahmedabad, Inspite of all this data, some 4 Calotes versicolor * 135pp. pockets of the protected area 5 Calotes rouxi * # Sanyal, D.P. & S. Sur (1995).