Common Cat Snake

07.11.2024

Common Cat Snake

Why in the news?                  

          The elusive common cat snake was recently discovered in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar.

About Common Cat Snake:

• Common Cat Snake, also known as Indian gamma snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake endemic to South Asia.
• Scientific Name: Boiga trigonata
• In India, it is found all over the country, excluding north-east states after Sikkim; it is also not found in Indian islands.
• Habitat: It can be found in almost all kinds of forests and wide ranges of elevations.
• While venomous, the Common Cat Snake's venom is not considered highly dangerous to humans. It primarily uses its venom to subdue prey.

Features of the Common Cat Snake :

• It is a medium-sized snake that is usually found in the 70-100 cm range.
• Its body is slender, thin, and bears a thin tail.
• Its upper body colour is grey-brown, with cream-coloured irregular markings, margined with black colour.
• Its underside is yellow-white or yellow-brown.
• Its head is large, triangular-shaped, and distinctly broader than the neck.
• Unlike other cat snakes of its range, this species bears characteristic “gamma” or “Y”-shaped marking that helps in its quick identification on the field. 
• Lifespan: 12-20 years
• Diet: It primarily consists of small vertebrates.
• IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Key facts about the Valmiki Tiger Reserve:

• It is the only tiger reserve in Bihar and forms the easternmost limit of India’s Himalayan Terai forests.
• The forest contains a mix of bhabar and terai tracts and is located in the Gangetic Plains bio-geographic zone.
• In 1978, it was designated as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
• In 1990, Valmiki National Park was established.
• The Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park is the country’s 18th Tiger Reserve. Valmiki National Park and Valmiki Wild Sanctuary make up the Valmiki Tiger Reserve.
• The tiger reserve shares a border with Nepal’s Chitwan National Park.
• The park is bisected by two rivers: the Gandak and the Masan River. Valmiki wildlife sanctuary is bordered on the west by the River Gandak.
• It enters India at Valmikinagar, where it is joined by two rivulets, Sonha and Pachnad, to form the holy Triveni confluence.
• A diverse range of flora and fauna can be found in the Valmiki National Park. Moisture-bearing Sal forests, dry-bearing Sal forests, moist mixed deciduous forests without Sal, cane, and tropical seasonal swamp forests with reed beds and wet grasslands make up the park.
• Fauna includes – Mammals: tiger, rhinoceros, black bear, leopard, wild dog, wild buffalo, wild boar, hyena, leopard cat, wild cat, etc
• Reptiles – Python, Cobra, King cobra, Krait, Banded krait, Sand boa, Crocodiles, etc
• Indian bison and one-horned rhinoceros frequently migrate from Chitwan to Valmikinagar.

                                                                 Source: Down to earth

With reference to the Common Cat Snake, recently seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. It is endemic to South Asia.

2. Its venom is extremely dangerous to humans.

3. It is classified as ‘Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

A.Only one

B.Only two

C.All three

D.None

Answer A