Eight More Species Of Snakes Discovered In Delhi, Number Rises To 23

Delhi: India is home to a variety of snake species ranging from extremely to relatively harmless snakes. New research records 8 more species of snakes in Delhi. The study recorded a total of 329 snakes in 23 species and nine families .The result was gained after an extensive five-year study conducted by researchers from the Delhi University.

The new additions of snakes in the national capital’s list of snakes are – common bronzeback tree snake, common cat snake,
common trinket snake, barred wolf snake, common kukri, saw-scaled viper, and common sandboa.

The research, published in the American Journal Reptiles and Amphibians, covered all eleven districts of Delhi, between January 2016 and October 2020, through 376 field surveys in various 1farms, lakes, water bodies, urban forest, parks, private gardens and vacant plots. The findings were later revealed last month.

Data collection techniques included road kills encounters, pitfall traps and opportunistic encounters, and Secondary information on snake rescue has also been taken from NGOs(Non Government organisations)like the Wildlife Trust of India and Fauna Foundation of India.

While it is almost impossible to count the exact number of snake sightings in residential areas in the capital City. as The Aravalli Range runs in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, and passing through ahe other states in India.

“. It comprises the last spurs of ancient Aravalli mountains in the form of a ridge, which is now in fragments either in the form of urban forests or urban parks and experiences regular snake occurrences in and around houses, gardens, and industrial areas”, Ghosh said.

Snakes are a valuable part of the food web, and majority of snakes are perfectly harmless to humans. But, venomous or not, there are no species of snake in the world that want to hurt us.

Barhadiya said snakes in Delhi have never received priority as compared to the other groups like mammals and avian diversity.

“Most snakes we encountered were non-venomous and are harmless and thus, people should not be afraid and kill them on the spot. Persecution of snakes, road mortality, lack of knowledge, habitat modification, and habitat fragmentation are the major threats to snake species in urban Delhi,” he said.