Rare brown morph of long-snouted vine snake found in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
Rare species of Ahaetulla longirostris (Photo provided by field director of Dudhwa tiger reserve, H Rajamohan)
PILIBHIT: A multidisciplinary
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
(DTR) team recorded a
rare brown morph
of the
long-snouted vine snake
(
Ahaetulla longirostris
) in Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary.
The discovery was made on May 12 during a routine tiger patrol by biologists, veterinarians, and frontline staff.
Dr Rangaraju T
, deputy director of the reserve, described the discovery as a landmark, noting that this is only the second such record in India—and the first in Uttar Pradesh—of a brown-coloured
Ahaetulla longirostris
.
Last year, a green morph of the same species was documented in the Sonaripur range during the translocation of greater one-horned rhinoceroses.
The field director of DTR,
H Rajamohan
, told TOI that the brown
Ahaetulla longirostris
was first found in Bihar in April the previous year, after which it was spotted in DTR. A team of biologists and veterinarians conducted a health assessment of the rare snake, confirming its vitality and intact physical condition before releasing it in the same forest pocket, he said.
'The long-snouted
vine snake
is a mildly venomous and arboreal colubrid in innate characteristics, with a laterally compressed body, sharply pointed snout, and horizontal pupils. This species was believed to be confined to the Western Ghats based on sporadic photographic records, but the sightings of both green and brown
Ahaetulla longirostris
in DTR have certainly enhanced India's reptilian database,' he said, adding that 'this salient discovery has evolved new dimensions of studying polymorphism, microhabitat preferences, and species distribution in the Indo-Gangetic region.'
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Jesus' Tomb Is Opened And Scientists Find Something Unbelievable
Novelodge
Undo
It also strengthened the concept that robust patrolling combined with ecological literacy is always productive for documenting hidden biodiversity.
With the new discoveries, Dudhwa has not remained only a wild destination of tigers, one-horned rhinos, and elephants, but it has ventured to evolve into a repository of lesser-known and ecologically vital species, said Dr Rangaraju T.
'We are now planning, along with our scientific partners, to expand the reserve's biodiversity monitoring framework, encourage herpetological surveys, and build local capacity for the identification and conservation of cryptic species, ensuring that a full ecological spectrum of Dudhwa continues to emerge on the horizon of biodiversity research,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Quick Test To Predict Life Expectancy
New Delhi: A quick 30-second physical assessment might predict how long one might live, according to recent research that connects physical capabilities to lifespan. The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, evaluated individuals' ability to transition between standing and floor-sitting positions and back up again, without utilising their hands, knees or the support of objects or other people. Health professionals note that this basic movement serves as a crucial health marker, revealing information about a person's physical state, including flexibility, balance, muscle strength and coordination. These physical qualities show a direct link with heart health and overall cardiovascular function. The Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) evaluated 4,282 people aged 46 to 75 years (68% men), with scores from 0 to 10 based on performance. Lower-scoring participants showed higher mortality rates. Middle-aged and older subjects who completed the test independently demonstrated better survival rates. The study expanded upon previous research examining SRT scores and longevity. The test is scored out of 10 points — 5 for sitting down and 5 for standing up. Begin by crossing one foot in front of the other and lowering yourself to the floor; deduct 1 point for each support used (hand, forearm or knee). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Air conditioners without external unit. (click to see prices) Air Condition | Search Ads Search Now Undo Once seated, stand up using the same method of scoring: subtract 1 point for each support and 0.5 points for any loss of balance or wobble. Throughout a 12-year median observation period, natural causes resulted in 665 deaths, comprising 15.5% of participants. Mortality rates were 3.7% for those scoring 10, rising to 11.1% for scores of 8. The lowest-scoring 10% (0-4) showed a 42.1% mortality rate. After accounting for various factors, those scoring 0-4 showed 3.8 times higher overall mortality risk and 6.0 times higher cardiovascular mortality risk compared to those scoring 10, who could sit and rise from the floor without support or instability. Researcher Claudio Gil Araújo advised against unsupervised testing. People with physical limitations, including hip or spine injuries, or severe joint conditions, should also avoid this assessment to prevent potential harm. Dr Niranjan Hiremath, senior cardiovascular consultant and aortic surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, explained, "Poor performance in SRT may indicate reduced cardiovascular reserve, arterial stiffness — an early marker of aging blood vessels — or autonomic nervous system dysfunction, which affects how well the heart adjusts during movement. This test highlights functional decline that is often invisible in standard check-ups. Patients may have normal blood pressure or cholesterol levels, but if they lack the physical ability to perform simple movements, their long-term risk for cardiac events may still be high." Dr Ashish Agarwal, director and head, cardiology, Aakash Healthcare, noted that poor performance might indicate muscle weakness, joint stiffness, coordination issues, or excess weight. These factors correlate with heart disease, diabetes and chronic conditions. Emphasising that performance enhancement was achievable through consistent effort, Dr Manish Dhawan, senior consultant, orthopaedics, Sir Gangaram Hospital, recommended stretching routines for legs, hips and lower back to maintain flexibility as well as strength training through squats and chair-rising exercises without hand support to build leg and hip strength. He advised core exercises, including planks and floor routines, to strengthen back and abdominal muscles and single-leg standing, yoga and gentle exercises are recommended for balance improvement. Dr Sanjeev Aggarwal, director, cardiac sciences, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, stressed the significance of incorporating activities promoting flexibility into everyday routines rather than treating them as sporadic exercise sessions.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Forthcoming mass extinction will be the first one engineered by humans'
Chennai: If one were to write the history of humankind from a climatic perspective, it would have a pre-2024 era and a post-2024 era. A rapid increase in carbon levels in the atmosphere posed serious threats to the environment, calling for immediate redress, Poovulagin Nanbargal coordinator G Sundarrajan said here on Saturday. In the last 10,000 years, the current juncture of existence was the most crucial as humankind faced five risks simultaneously for the first time — climate change, mass extinction, spread of diseases/infections such as Covid-19, pollution, and inequality. "There have been mass extinctions before as well. But the forthcoming mass extinction [of a species] will be the first one to be engineered by humans," Sundarrajan said at an editors' meet on climate change, organised at Anna Centenary Library. He stressed the need for holistic coverage of climate change by the media and offered suggestions to spread awareness among the public. He called for setting up a "climate desk" in all media organisations to come out with news stories pertaining to climate change. "All forms of news must be approached from a climate change angle, and news about the marginalized, who are most affected by global warming, must be given more coverage," it said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Forget Furosemide, Use This Household Item To Help Drain Edema Fluid WellnessGuide Learn more Undo Projects and technologies proposed as solutions to climate change must be critically examined for their authenticity. False solutions must be identified and called out, he said. Melting of glaciers, rise in global average temperature in a short time, and gender and caste aspects of climate change were discussed at the meeting. The event was held in coordination with the Chennai Press Club. Poovulagin Nanbargal presented one copy of each of its published books to the club's president, Suresh Vedanayagam.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
UP surpasses nat'l avg in language, math competency for Class 3 students
Lucknow: After taking a big leap forward in the school performance index, UP has made significant strides in learning outcomes. The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, which evaluates the effectiveness of the school education system by assessing competencies at various educational stages, shows that Class 3 children in UP have not only improved their performance, but also surpassed the national average. The report shared by the Union Ministry of Education with the state govt shows 68% of Class 3 children in UP are competent in language and 64% in mathematics, while the national average for the two stands at 64% and 60%, respectively. Education officials said in 2021, 55% of Class 3 students were competent in language and mathematics and were below the national average of 59%. According to the document shared by the education department, districts like Kasganj, Shamli, Auraiya, Ambedkar Nagar and Mahoba emerged as top performers in Class 3. The assessment was also carried out for Classes 6 and 9, where steady improvements were visible too. The report shows 55% of Class 6 girls were competent in language against the national average of 57%, while 45% were proficient in mathematics against the national average of 46%. The top-performing districts in the Class 6 category include Kanpur, Shravasti, Kasganj, Shamli and Aligarh. UP also made notable progress in Class 9 results. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Investire è più facile che mai BG SAXO Scopri di più Undo While 38% of students did well in science against the national average of 40%, 34% performed in mathematics against the national average of 37%, and 37% qualified in social sciences against the national average of 40%. Districts such as Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar, Ayodhya, Prayagraj and Shamli recorded the highest performances in Class 9. The pan-India report will be released on July 2. Basic education minister Sandeep Singh said, "UP's performance in the PARAKH National Survey 2024 is a testimony to the fact that when policy, planning, and execution are well-balanced, even the largest states can set benchmarks in education. This is not just a success in numbers, but proof of deep-rooted educational reforms happening at the grassroots level. We are confident that in the coming years, this transformation will become more widespread and robust. "
