Rare snake recorded in Kolhapur’s Gagan Bawda

Kolhapur: Calliophis castoe, a rare snake which was earlier recorded in Sindhudurg district’s Amboli village in 2013, has now been recorded at Gagan Bawda in Kolhapur.
Zoology student of Shivaji University Kolhapur (SUK) Sachin Kamble and wildlife researcher from Bangalore Praveen H.N. have carried out the research on this snake. Their research paper has been published in the international journal, Hamadryad.
Kamble said “I found this snake under the ground on June 28, 2020, at Sangshi village in Gagan Bawda, Kolhapur district.Earlier, the sighting of this snake was recorded in Ajara by Mayur Jadhav and his colleagues. Currently, there are 15 recognised species in the genus — Calliophis castoe — of which, five species are found in India. This is one of the least known snake species from India. Due to the record of this snake, the rich biodiversity of Gagan Bawda in the Western Ghats has also been highlighted”.
Herpetologist Varad Giri said, “It was identified as Calliophis castoe based on its mix-colour, slender body, orange stripe on the head, and uniform orange colouration under the tail. Its total length was 80 cm and was found while digging a hole in the garden of a house. This snake was found two feet below ground in loose soil. Its characteristic feature is that it curls its tail.”