Rare tree snake spotted in Goa wildlife sanctuary

Researchers have spotted a rare tree snake in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa, the scientific nomenclature and biology of which is not exactly known. “The Boulengers Bronzeback tree snake is a rare species with its taxonomic nomenclature still uncertain. It is known in a handful of locations in the Western Ghats, including Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa, Anshi National Park in Karnataka and forests of Amboli and Matheran in Maharashtra,” environmentalist Nirmal Kulkarni told media here.

The snake was documented by Kulkarni and his assistant Namdeo Naik while it was swallowing a Malabar gliding frog in the Mhadei sanctuary, located 750 metres above the sea level.

The environmentalist said, elsewhere, the snake has been reported from Sri Lanka.” Very little is known of the taxonomy, behaviour and biology of this elusive and shy tree snake,” he said.