Status, Distribution and Conservation of the Snakes in Nepal

1
Status, Distribution and Conservation of the
Snakes in Nepal

• Karan B. Shah, Professor, Natural History
  Museum,Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Fanindra R.Kharel, Planning Officer, Department
  of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation,
  Kathmandu, Nepal
• Barna B. Thapa, Under Secretary, Planning
  Section, Department of National Parks and
  Wildlife Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal

2
Contd

• Introduction
• Diverse topography, altitude variations,
  different ecosystems and changing climatic
  conditions.
• Most people cannot distinguish venomous and
  non-venomous snakes.
• Snake Related Researches and Conservation
  Activities
• Herpetology received low priority, scanty
  information.
• School curriculum, dissertations, popular
  publications, Snakebite management and
  conservation awareness training
• Stamps (Asiatic rock python, Python molurus
  molurus Golden tree snake, Chrysopelea ornata
  ornata King cobra, Ophiophagus hannah and
  Karan pit viper, Trimeresurus karanshahi)
  having academic, religious and culture, and
  conservation importance.

3
SNAKE DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION

• Diversity
• Believed to be exceptionally rich (great
  topographic and climatic variations)
• Smallest blind snakes to the largest pythons
• Only 79 spp. (including ssp.), 60 non-poisonous
  and 19 poisonous.

4
Contd.

• Non-poisonous
• 60 spp., including back-fanged, (Typhlopidae,
  Boidae and Colubridae)
• Poisonous
• 19 spp. ( Elapidae and Viperidae)
• Elapidae (cobras 3spp., kraits 5spp., and coral
  snake 1sp.)
• Viperidae (5 genera Gloydius, Ovophis, Daboia,
  Protobothrops and Trimeresurus and 10 spp.)
• Distribution
• Distributed lt 100m to gt 4800m.
• The Himalayan pit viper, Gloydius himalayanus,
  mostly found above 1650m, sometime reaching as
  high as gt4800m (a worlds highest altitude
  record for snakes)
• Tarai and Siwalik Zone
• Below 100 m., Pan-Oriental (Indian) spp., highest
  diversity and density of the snakes.
• Midhill Zone
• 1500 and 3500m., Pan-Oriental and Indo-Chinese
  spp.
• High Himalayan Zone
• 3500 to more than 8000m., including Mt. Everest
  the highest point in the world, Himalayan and
  Tibetan spp.

5
Contd.

• Endemic and Species having Other Importance
• Endemic Gold-dotted keelback, Xenochrophis
  flavipunctatus schnurenbergerii .
• Type locality, 3 spp., Elaphe hodgsoni,
  Rhabdophis himalayanus and Xenochrophis
  flavipunctatus schnurenbergerii
• Ethnozoology
• Deeply rooted in Nepalese tradition and culture,
  regarded as sacred.
• Snake festival (naagpanchami), assure rain for
  the growing crops.
• Food and traditional medicine (fat, skins, bones,
  flesh, bile etc), talisman and amulets, 20
  different traditional medicines.
• Main Threats
• Habitat loss and alteration, use of pesticides,
  wanton killing, accidental trappings,
  superstitions, illegal collection and trade and
  ignorance.
• Legal, Management and Enforcement
• The NPWC Act enacted in 1973, protects 2ssp.
• Recently 11 spp. meriting the legal protection
  recommended.

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Legal protection recommended for
meriting species
No. Scientific Name Common Name CITES, Status Local Status
1 Eryx conica conica Common sand boa rare
2 Eryx johni johni Red sand boa rare
3 Python molurus molurus Asiatic rock python App. I rare
4 Python molurus bivittatus Burmese rock python App. I rare
5 Elachistodon westermanni Indian egg-eating snake App. II rare
6 Ptyas mucosus mucosus Asiatic rat snake App. II common
7 Xenochrophis piscator Checkered keelback water snake common
8 Naja kaouthia Monocled cobra occasional
9 Naja naja Spectacled cobra App. II occasional
10 Ophiophagus hannah King cobra App. II rare
11 Daboia russelii russelii Russells viper occasional
7
Trade Controls and Enforcement

• Trade Controls and Enforcement
• Strictly controlled Ministry of Forests and Soil
  conservation (Department of National Parks and
  Wildlife Conservation, District Forest Offices),
  Nepal Police, Nepal Armed Police, Nepal Army,
  Custom Department, Postal Department etc.
• Only a few illegal trade incidents
• Cobras, kraits and Russells vipers are illegally
  traded spp.
• Advantage of huge open border between Nepal and
  India.
• Snake charmers use pythons, boas, rat snakes, cat
  snakes, common water snakes, cobras (including
  king cobras) and occasionally also the pit vipers
  .
• Pythons skins confiscated
• No data available on impact on the natural wild
  populations.
• Trade and market
• Snake charmers and saints buy the specimens.
• Snakes can be collected for research purposes and
  farming.
• Mitigation by providing alternative ways for
  livelihood and by launching proper conservation
  awareness programs.

8
Snakebite Management in Nepal

• Snakebite Management in Nepal
• Snakebite mortality is a significant problem in
  the Terai region.
• Cobras, kraits and Russells viper in terai and
  pit vipers in the mid-hilly and Himalayan
  regions.
• Annually 10,000 snakebite cases, mortality 200
  people annually.
• Lyophilizes polyvalent ASVS
• Training on snakebite case management