Red Coral Kukri snake spotted in Dudhwa after 82 years

A Red Coral Kukri snake was sighted in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) confirming the presence of the rare species in the forest after a gap of over 82 years, a senior official said on Tuesday. Jubilation has engulfed wildlife lovers and the forest department as the re-discovery of the snake comes with photographic evidence by a patrolling staff on Saturday.

Mahaveer Koujalagi, Deputy Director of the DTR, told IANS that the development is significant as it has officially confirmed the presence of the snake in the park after it was first sighted in the area in 1936. "Earlier, some said that it was noticed. However, there were no shreds of evidence. On Saturday, our patrolling staff came across the orange coloured snake in the South Sonaripur range. It was photographed using the M-Stripe, a mobile-based application, developed by the WII (Wildlife Institute of India)," he said.

The small slithery snake could be sighted easily in the dense forest as it was found on the abandoned old railway tracks. Incidentally, the snake was sighted in Katarniaghat forest in 2012 besides unconfirmed reports of its sighting in Nainital a few years ago.

"For the DTR, the snake has been rediscovered after 82 years, that too with a shred of evidence," Koujalagi said. Red Coral Kukri Snake (Oligodon kheriensis) is a nocturnal reptile with a maximum length of 114 cm. The Kheri-location specific snake is generally found in the Terai forest, a lowland region in southern Nepal and northern India.

(With inputs from agencies.)