iINDIAN RIENOS MESSAGE -
From: anirban20 Date: Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:49 pm Subject: SNAKE CONSIDERED TO BE
EXTINCT FOUND IN MAHARASHTRA
On the 3rd of August 2003 in Wardha, Parag Dandge, a young snakerescuer and
naturalist found a small dead snake covered by ants.Fortunately he preserved it,
little knowing that his foresight wouldrock the entire herpetological world.
Parag was unable to identifythe snake until 2005, when he sent pictures of the
snake to theCenter for Herpetology, MadrasCrocodile Bank Trust, Chennai, the
Bombay Natural History Society andthe Indian Herpetological Society, Pune.
Further collaboration with ateam of taxonomists from India and Germany resulted
in it beingidentified as the Indian Egg-eater Elachistodon westermanni.
Fewerthan 10 specimens of this species have ever been found, leadingseveral
authorities to believe that the Indian Egg-eater was extinct.Besides India
(Bihar, West Bengal and Uttaranchal), there are oldrecords of the Indian
Egg-eater from Bangladesh and Nepal.The Indian Egg-eater is brown or dark grey,
has a distinctlyflattened body, vertical (eye) pupils, and a whitish stripe that
runsdown the back. Parag and some taxonomists - Ashok Captain (Pune),Frank
Tillack and Andreas Gumprecht (both Germany) have co-authored apaper that has
been accepted by the Russian Journal of Herpetology.Further observations on the
Egg-eater are required to determine itspresent status, habitat requirements and
formulate effectiveconservation measures to ensure its survival.Ashok Captain3/1
Boat Club RoadPune 411 001MaharashtraIndiaPhone: 020-26129011email: ashokcaptain@...www.snakesofindia.com
THE HINDU-
This snake is not extinct
Herpetologists confirm the Indian egg-eater's identity
Collaboration with a team of taxonomists from India and Germany resulted in the
snake being identified as the Indian egg-eater
MUMBAI: A specimen of the Indian egg-eater, or Elachistodon westermanni, a snake
believed to have been extinct, has been found — and it has rocked the arcane
world of herpetology. Almost two years after a snake rescuer in Wardha district
of Maharashtra found it, herpetologists and taxonomists from India and Russia
have confirmed its identity.
Parag Dandge, the young rescuer, district coordinator of the Satpuda Foundation
in Wardha, found a small dead snake covered by ants in Wardha on August 3, 2003.
He preserved it, little realising the significance of the find.
Unable to identify the snake, Parag sent its pictures to the Centre for
Herpetology, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Chennai; the Bombay Natural History
Society (BNHS) and the Indian Herpetological Society (IPS), Pune. "Collaboration
with a team of taxonomists from India and Germany resulted in the snake being
identified as the Indian egg-eater, Elachistodon westermanni,'' Mr. Dandge said.
Physical appearance
The Indian egg-eater is brown or dark grey. It has a distinctly flattened body,
vertical pupils in the eye and a whitish stripe that runs down the back.
Taxonomists Ashok Captain from Pune, Frank Tillack and Andreas Gumprecht (both
Germany) have co-authored a paper on the finding, with Mr. Dandge. It has been
accepted by the Russian Journal of Herpetology.
Mr. Captain said fewer than 10 specimens have ever been found. This led several
authorities on the subject to believe it was extinct.
Records
He said there are records of the Indian egg-eater having been present in
Bangladesh and Nepal, besides India — in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttaranchal.
Further observations are needed to determine its present status and habitat
requirements and formulate measures to ensure its survival, Mr. Captain said.
— PTI
NEWS IN DEVKUMARS BLOG-
by: Dev Kumar Vasudevan on Jul 31 2005 7:41AM in Creative comments rss:
If Parag Dandge, snake rescuer, and district co-ordinator of the Satpuda
foundation in Wardha (Maharashtra) had thrown away the dead snake he found
covered with ants two years ago the world of nature would have been poorer. But
this young man's curiosity was aroused as he couldn't identify the snake. So he
sent it to the Centre for Herpetology, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Chennai; the
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and the Indian Herpetological Society (IPS),
Pune. Herpetologists have now confirmed that this dead snake belonged to the
species Elachistodon westermanni and is popularly known as the Indian egg-eater.
This snake was believed to have become extinct in India. Nature lovers all over
the world must be happy on reading this news. The loss of a species is a huge
loss and a great tragedy. Click here here to read an account from The Hindu
about this fascinating re-discovery. 'Everybody sees but few notice'. Wish we
had more Parags all over India. Our biodiversity is one of our biggest national
assets and it must be identified in great detail. We owe that to future
generations.
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NEWS ON www.satpuda.org
Snake Considered to be Extinct Found in MaharashtraOn the 3rd of August 2003 in
Wardha, Parag Dandge, a young snake rescuer and District Coordinator of Satpuda
Foundation, Wardha Unit found a small dead snake covered by ants. Fortunately he
preserved it, little knowing that his foresight would rock the entire
herpetological world. Parag was unable to identify the snake until 2005, when he
sent pictures of the snake to the Center for Herpetology, Madras Crocodile Bank
Trust, Chennai, the Bombay Natural History Society and the Indian Herpetological
Society, Pune. Further collaboration with a team of taxonomists from India and
Germany resulted in it being identified as the Indian Egg-eater Elachistodon
westermanni. Fewer than 10 specimens of this species have ever been found,
leading several authorities to believe that the Indian Egg-eater was extinct.
Besides India (Bihar, West Bengal and Uttaranchal), there are old records of the
Indian Egg-eater from Bangladesh and Nepal.The Indian Egg-eater is brown or dark
grey, has a distinctly flattened body, vertical (eye) pupils, and a whitish
stripe that runs down the back. Parag and some taxonomists - Ashok Captain (Pune),
Frank Tillack and Andreas Gumprecht (both Germany) have co-authored a paper that
has been accepted by the Russian Journal of Herpetology.Further observations on
the Egg-eater are required to determine its present status, habitat requirements
and formulate effective conservation measures to ensure its survival.
For more information contactMr. Parag DandgeDistrict Coordinator, Satpuda
Foundation, Wardha Unit. (M) 9860138041
NEWS ON www.indianwildlifeclub.com
Extinct snake species rediscovered!
Sometimes, the dead come back to life. In one of those rare feel good stories in
conservation, a species of snake believed to be extinct since nearly a hundred
years has been rediscovered in the Vidharbha region of Maharashtra. The Indian
egg-eater, Elachistodon westermanni was last recorded in 1913 in India before it
entered the annals of history. Then in 2003, Parag Dandge found a dead snake,
partially eaten by ants, a few yards from his backyard in Vardha. It would
easily have been looked over, but for the fact that Dandge is a volunteer
snake-rescuer and found this specimen to be unusual, something he had never seen
before. It took him over two years - and a lot of research - to arrive at the
conclusion that this was the once-extinct Indian egg Eater. Dandge sent pictures
of the snake to the Center for Herpetology, Chennai, Bombay Natural History
Society and the Indian Herpetological Society, Pune. Further collaboration with
a team of taxonomists from India and Germany resulted in it being identified as
the Indian egg-eater. Fewer than ten specimens of this species have ever been
found, leading several authorities to believe that the snake was extinct.
Besides India (Bihar, West Bengal and Uttaranchal), there are old records of the
Indian egg-eater from Nepal and Bangladesh, which is considered to be snake's
original range. Strangely, the snake has now been rediscovered, about 900 kms
south-west of its known range.
NEWS ON- www.indianjungles.com
Snake considered extinct found in Maharashtra-
On the 3rd of
August 2003 in Wardha, Parag Dandge, a young snake rescuer and naturalist found
a small dead snake covered by ants. Fortunately he preserved it, little knowing
that his foresight would rock the entire herpetological world. Parag was unable
to identify the snake until 2005, when he sent pictures of the snake to the
Center for Herpetology, Madras, Crocodile Bank Trust, Chennai, the Bombay
Natural History Society and the Indian Herpetological Society, Pune. Further
collaboration with a team of taxonomists from India and Germany resulted in it
being identified as the Indian Egg-eater Elachistodon westermanni. Fewer than 10
specimens of this species have ever been found, leading several authorities to
believe that the Indian Egg-eater was extinct. Besides India (Bihar, West Bengal
and Uttaranchal), there are old records of the Indian Egg-eater from Bangladesh
and Nepal.
The Indian Egg-eater is brown or dark grey, has a distinctly flattened body,
vertical (eye) pupils, and a whitish stripe that runs down the back. Parag and
some taxonomists - Ashok Captain (Pune), Frank Tillack and Andreas Gumprecht
(both Germany) have co-authored a paper that has been accepted by the Russian
Journal of Herpetology.
Further observations on the Egg-eater are required to determine its present
status, habitat requirements and formulate effective conservation measures to
ensure its survival.