Wildlife In India

Snakes

Of the over 2000 species of snakes in the world, about 200 are found in India. These range from the worm snakes having a length of about 10 cms. to those more than 6 mts. long. They live in almost all habitats from the warm seas to semi-deserts, swamps, lakes and even in the Himalayan glaciers up to an elevation of about 5000 mts. Thirty main species of Indian snakes have been discribed here.

Common Worm Snake

( Typhlina bramina): A small worm-like snake found all over India. In the hills, it lives up to an elevation of 1000 mts.

Perrotet's Shield-tail Snake

(Plectrurus perroteti): A small snake found in the hills along the west coast of India, i.e., The Western Ghats, Nilgiri and Annamalai hills.

Indian Rock Python

Python molurus): A large thick-bodied snake found in many parts of India. It ranges from the mangrove forest to arid scrublands and dense rain forest of the eastern Himalayas up to an elevation of about 2000 mts.

Common Sand Boa

(Eryx conicus): A short thick-bodied snake found in the plains and low hills of India. They are nocturnal and hunt after dark.

Red Sand Boa

(Eryx johnii): A medium-sized snake with a very blunt tail. It is found in the drier tracts of the country.

Common Wolf Snake

(Lycodon aulicus): A small slender snake found throughout India. In the hills, it occurs at an elevation of about 2000 mts.

Banded Kukri

(Oligodon arnesis): A small snake with prominent cross bands on its body. Found all over India and up to an elevation of 200 mts. in the eastern Himalayan.

Stripped Keelback

(Amaphiesma stalata): A small to medium-sized snake that is closely related to and resembles the water snake. Found all over India and up to an elevation of 2000 mts. in the hill.

Green Keelback

(Macropisthodon plumbicolor): A medium-sized keelscaled snake found in the forested region of India up to an elevation of 1500 mts.

Checkered Keelback Watersnake

(Xenochropis piscator): A medium-sized keeled snake found all over India up to an elevation of about 3000 mts.

Olive Keelback Watersnake

(Altritium schistosum): A small to medium-sized snake found in central and peninsular India up to an elevation about 1000 mts.

Trinket Snake

(Elaphe halena): A medium-sized, slender snake found all over India up to an elevation of about 4000 mts. in the Himalayas.

Rat Snake

(Ptyas muscosus): A large-scaled snake found all over India up to an elevation of about 4000 mts. It is capable of adapting to almost any environment. They are prodigal rat-eaters.

Banded Racer

(Argyrogena fasicolatus): A small to medium-sized snake found in the plains of India. It prefers to live amongst tall grass and bushes.

Royal Snake

(Spalerosophis diadema): A medium to large-sized snake found in the drier tracts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu hills and Himachal Pradesh up to an elevation of 2000 mts.

Bronze-back Tree Snake

(Dendrelaphis tristis): A medium-sized slender snake found all over India up to an elevation of 2000 mts. in the Himalayas. They prefer low bushes and thorny trees.

Flying Snake

(Chrysopelea ornata): A small to medium-sized snake found in the forest of southwest India and northeastern parts of the country north of Bihar and Orissa. They prefer to live on large trees and appear to glide for some distance.

Vine Snake

(Ahaetulla nasutus): A medium to large-sized snake found all over India, except in the northwest and parts of the Ganga plain. They may occur at elevation of about 2500 mts. preferring low bushes and trees.

Common Cat Snake

(Boiga trigonata): A small to medium-sized snake found all over India up to an elevation of 3000 mts. in the Himalayas. They are nocturnal in habit and prefer to spend the daylight hours in a cool place.

Dog-faced Watersnake

(Cerberus rhynchops): A medium-sized snake found in the coastal tracts. They live in muddy and rocky areas in estuaries, mangrove swamps, salt pans and deserted creeks.

Common Krait

(Bungarus caeruleus): A medium-sized snake with thin white bands on its body. Found almost all over India up to elevation of about 1700 mts. They are nocturnal in habit.

Banded Krait

(Bungarus caeruleus): A medium to large-sized snake with prominent yellow and black bands on its body. Found in northeast India, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh up to an elevation of 1500 mts.

Sleder Coral Snake

(Callophis melanurus): A small slender snake found in most parts of the country except parts of central and northeast India, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradseh up to an Elevation of 1500 mts.

Indian Spectacled Cobra

(Naja naja naja): A medium to large-sized snake found all over India up to an elevation of about 4000 mts. in the Himalayas. They feed on frogs, toads, rodents, birds and small snakes.

Indian Monocled Cobra

(Naja naja kaouthia): A medium-sized snake found in northeast India, parts of Uttar Pradesh , Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal. They are mainly nocturnal in habit.

King Cobra

(Ophiophagus hannah): A large-sized snake that may be up to 5 mts. in length . It has distinct cross bands on its forebody. Found in dense forests of South India, Himalayan foothills up to an elevation of 2000 mts., Orissa , Bihar, West Bengal and North east India.

Hook-nosed Sea Snake

(Enhydrina schistosa): A medium-sized snake with a flattened body and tail. Found along the coast and coastal islands. They are seasonally found in the deep sea though they prefer coastal areas.

Russell's Viper

(Vipera russellii) : A medium to large-sized snake with a characteristic bright pattern on its body. Found all over India, both in the plains and hills up to an elevation of about 3000 mts.

Saw-scaled Viper

(Echis carinatus): A small-sized snake found all over India, usually in the plains. They may occur in areas as high as 2000 mts. in the northwestern Himalayas.

Bamboo Pit Viper

(Trmeresurus gramineus): A small-sized snake with a triangular head. Found in the hills of central and eastern India. It prefers cold, thick vegetation along watercourses and bamboos and other dense foliage.

Some Other Common Snakes Of India

1. Slender Worm Snake (Typhilina porrectus) 2. Pied-belly Shield-tail Snake (Melanophidium punctatum) 3. Nilgiri Shield-tail Snake(Uropeltis ocellatus) 4.Regal Python (Python reticulatus) 5. Khasi Earth Snake (Stoliczkaia khasiensis) 6. Olive Forest Snake (Rhabdops olivaceus) 7. Glossy Marsh Snake (Gerarda prevostiana).