Herping in Bangalore, India

Indian Wolf Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

Date:
May 24th and 25th 2015

Species Found:

1. Spotted Leaf Toed Gecko (Hemidactylus maculatus)
2. Indian Wolf Snake (Lycodon aulicus)
3. Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa)
4. Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja)
5. Checkered Keelback Water Snake (Xenochropis piscator)
6. Asian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

The Trip:

I looked for reptiles and amphibians in the areas surrounding my house and found all the species I had found before, in addition to the 6 species listed above.

Less than a kilometer away from my house, there is a large tract of land that is used to house and raise cows, locally called a goshala. The cows live on a small portion of the land while a large area is used to grow hay, and an even larger area is left untouched from where wild grasses are harvested periodically. All of these areas provide great habitat for herpetofauna, especially snakes. Previously, I had visited the cow sheds and the hay fields but the "wild" area was new to me, so I had no idea what to expect.

One morning I was looking around under rocks and in hay piles near the hay fields in the goshala, finding my usual assortment of the lizards, frogs and toads. Soon, 2 locals noticed me and walked over. They asked if I was looking for snakes and I said yes. They said that they knew where to find snakes and asked me to follow them. We walked on a narrow trail and the hay fields gave way to wild, native grass and scrub vegetation. I felt that it would be impossible to find snakes in such dense undergrowth but they seemed to know what they were doing so I followed. While we were walking I learned that these guys liked to see snakes but were afraidd to get too close. We agreed that they would find the snakes and I would catch them. Soon, we came across a shallow but expansive pool of water on our left at the end of a 15 foot slope. The slope was dense with thorny Acacia trees whose branches hung above the water. One of the locals pointed at a tree branch and said "snake". I saw a 6 foot Rat Snake sprawled across the thorny branches above the water. We moved a little closer and the snake started to move down from the tree. I knew that if I wanted to catch this snake I would have to act fast, so I slid down the slope toward the water while the snake reached the gound. Unforunately, my shirt and the skin on my arm got caught in the thorns of an Acacia branch and I was stuck. Meanwhile, the snake slithered into a burrow by the roots of a tree, never to be seen again. I took out my knife and cut the thorns away from me and made my way back up to the trail. I was disappointed that the snake had got away but I knew I would find more. The locals told me that they had to leave but that I should keep looking in the same area as they had seen a variety of snakes there. I too decided to try again another time.

The next day, I came back and started to walk on the same trail. Soon I noticed a snake resting on the trail about 10 meters ahead. I slowly crept forward to get a better look at the snake. There was dense knee-high grass on either side of the trail so I knew that catching this snake would be impossible. I got close enough to see that it was a Spectacled Cobra, basking in the sun, just minding its own business. Its hood was obviously closed but I could tell the species by the coloration and shape of the head. I tried to pull out my phone to take a photo of the snake but the movement of my hand alerted the snake and it quickly disappeared into the grass. I walked on and checked for Rat Snakes in the trees above the water but there were none. I kept walking until I found some rock piles, an awesome place to find reptiles. I started moving some rocks around when I saw a large brown gecko dart into a crevice. I had never seen this species of gecko around here before so I started moving the rocks around where it had gone in. on the underside of one of the rocks that I lifted, I found a small, brightly colored gecko, probably a juvenile of the same species. I quickly caught the gecko and put it in a box so I could photograph it later. I kept on probing for the adult, when I suddenly saw the smooth scales of a snake. I knew that it could either be a harmless Wolf Snake or a deadly Krait so I used a stick to move the rocks that were above it. When I saw the brown body with single white bands I knew it was a Wolf Snake. I used my hands to pick it up and it promptly bit me twice, but I wasn't worried. I put it in a bag to photograph. I kept looking for the adult gecko but it was gone. I found out later that the gecko was a Hemidactylus maculatus, a species usually found at the foothills of the Western Ghats. I took photos of both reptiles and released them where I found them.

Juvenile Spotted Leaf Toed Gecko: PC Yatin Kalki

Juvenile Spotted Leaf Toed Gecko: PC Yatin Kalki

Juvenile Spotted Leaf Toed Gecko: PC Yatin Kalki

Juvenile Spotted Leaf Toed Gecko: PC Yatin Kalki

Indian Wolf Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

Indian Wolf Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

Indian Wolf Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

Later that day, a friend told me that there was a Checkered Keelback Water Snake in a pond in his backyard, so I went over to take a look. Checkered Keelbacks are non-venomous but aggressive snakes. I knew I was going to get bitten more than once. The snake was in the water but I could see its body coiled around some lotus leaves. I quickly reached in and grabbed the snake. The moment it's head came out of the water, it promptly bit my wrist and held on. I wasn't fazed so I untangled the snake from the leaves and brought it onto the grass. It was a young female Checkered Keelback, called so because of the pattern on its back. The snake bit me 4 more times before it calmed down and became completely docile. I got some photos and then showed my friend's parents how to hold the snake. I then released ot back into the same pond. I explained that snakes are aggressive for a very short period and that with gentle handling they are quick to calm down. They were keen to learn more and asked me a lot of questions, which was a pleasant surprise. Usually, people are close minded and think the worst when it comes to snakes.

Checkered Keelback Water Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

Checkered Keelback Water Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

Checkered Keelback Water Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

Checkered Keelback Water Snake: PC Yatin Kalki

That night while I was walking around around with some friends, I saw a bright yellow Asian Toad beside the road. I recognized it as a male in breeding colors, a trait that I had failed to observe in the 8 years that I had been living in Bangalore. Once a year, male Asian Toads become bright yellow to attract females. I put my hand on the toad's back and he made a high pitched chirping noise, confirming my suspicions. Only male toads can vocalize and if a male accidentally mounts another male, the one on the bottom will vocalize to let the other one know that he is not a female. My hand on the toad's back triggered the very same behavior.

Male Asian Toad in Breeding Colors: PC Yatin Kalki

Finding species that I haven't seen before is always a pleasure. Finding them so close to home is even better. Observing a new trait in a familiar species can also be just as interesting.