Report

of
An Initial Study on The Road-kills of
Herpetofauna
near by
Garumara National Park

2010

By

Nature and Wildlife Conservation Society

Hakim Para, Jalpaiguri
(www.natureandwildlife.org.in)
Project Title
Investigators for NWCS
: An Initial Study On The Road Kills Of Herpetofauna Near By
Garumara NP.
: Jayanta Das (Member NWCS)
District Information and Culture Office
Sarojendra Deb Raikot Sanskritik Kala Kendra
Jalpaiguri

Soumik Choudhury (Member NWCS)

Lecturer
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Institute of Pharmacy, Jalpaiguri
Duration of Investigation : 3 weeks (in Early-Monsoon and Late-Monsoon season)
Brief Findings :
In our study we have found a total of 210 road killed animals out of which 137 specimens were of
herpetofauna, however, among these 57 specimens were so badly smashed that they could not be identified.
The identified species of herpetofauna belongs to 2 classes, 3 orders and 19 species.
In our study we have found extremely rare snakes like, red mountain racer, which has not been
reported from this region earlier.
Our Recommendations :
In order to control the Road-kill of herpetofauna and other animals we recommend the following –
o The speed of the vehicles on the forest side road should be strictly controlled by the use of speed
breakers, periodic surveillance or by making permanent check posts or by any other method deemed
suitable for the purpose.
o A narrow and shallow trench on both side of the road may decrease the movements of herpetofauna
and other lower animals on road but should not cause problem for higher mammals like Gaur or
Elephants.
o A detailed and much more elaborated study should be conducted to revel the actual status of the
problem addressed here.

________________________________ ______________________________________
(JAYANTA DAS) (SOUMIK CHOUDHURY)
 Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Mr. Tapas Das, IFS and

and Ms. Sumita Ghatak, IFS for giving us
the permission to conduct the study and for giving us the permission to continue the study respectively.
We want to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Bimal Debnath, FR, Ranger, Garumara South
Range for his help and support
support whenever we required.

We appreciate the helps extended to us by the Forest Guards of Garumara South Range, mentioning
the name of each of them is not possible but we would like to extend our thanks to all of them.

We are grateful to all other members

members of NWCS, who were always with us and provided us all the
necessary supports. We will certainly do injustice; if we do not mention the help and encouragement we
received from the members of SPAWN; thank you, thank you all.

Last but not least, we would like thanking the members of family, whose enthusiasm and perseverance
actually make the work possible.

Jayanta Das
&
Soumik Choudhury
Jalpaiguri
September, 2010.
Introduction:

Once returning from a photographic outing from Lava, members of NWCS spotted an uncommon snake
smashed on the road, in between Mahakal and Chukchuki Gate on NH-31, and it was on spot decided that
NWCS will conduct an initial study to find out the approximate number of road kills of herpetofauna on the
forest side roads in Jalpaiguri. A verbal permission to conduct the study was obtained from Mr. Tapas Das,
IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Division – II.

With the increase of road network and number of vehicles road kill has become a major concern of the
[1-3]
conservationists world over and a number of papers has been published on this, which shows a day-by-
day worsening situation.

The forest of Jalpaiguri district belongs to a number of categories, like Northern Tropical Wet Evergreen
[4]
Forests, Northern Sub-tropical Semi Evergreen Forests, North India Moist Deciduous Forests and
[5-9]
possesses a very rich heritage of biodiversity as evident from review of literature . Moreover, the forest
of Jalpaiguri district is the home of number of herpetofauna belonging to schedule I of WLPA; 1972, like
Yellow Monitor Lizard, Indian Egg-eating Snake, Large Bengal Monitor Lizard, All snakes of genus Python
etc. So, our study on the road kills of herpetofauna is quite rational and we believe our findings will help in
better management of these animals.

Selection Of The Study Area:

The road in between Chukchuki gate to Garumara gate (12 km) was selected as the study area. Jalpaiguri
district lies in between latitude 26016’N - 2700’N and longitude 8804’E- 89053’E [10]
and, as mentioned
earlier, is having different types of forests; out of which Garumara National Park (North India Moist
Deciduous Forests) area was chosen for the study because of the following reasons –

1. Its richness in herpetofauna (although regions like BTR is believed to be more rich in herpetofauna
but the forest type of BTR is complex and represents only a little fraction of the total forest cover of
the district)
2. The forest of Garumara National Park is nourishing a number of ecosystems in it, like Grassland
ecosystem, Highland forest ecosystem, Lentic ecosystem, River ecosystem etc.
3. The National Highway (NH 31) is passing through the National Park area.
The maps below depicts the study area –

Map I: Jalpaiguri District

To siliguri

To Coochbehar
To Jalpaiguri
Map II: Study Area on NH 31 (Garumara National Park)

Background Data:

[13,14] [15]
State monitoring reports of 2006 – 2007 and 2007 – 2008 , and other publications of West Bengal
Forest Department were studied but unfortunately no data regarding the road kill of herpetofauna or other
lower animals of this region were found.
Survey Duration and Methodologies:

The survey was conducted for 21 days and the surveyors crossed the study area twice daily for each of the
days of study in morning and in evening. The road-killed spices were photographed and in some cases
collected for the purpose of study. A few of the important species are being preserved in Pharmaceutical
Chemistry Laboratory – II of Institute of Pharmacy, Jalpaiguri for future references, with verbal permission
from DFO, WL Division – II. These specimens will be stored for everyone at NIC Lataguri once its
renovation completed.

Results of the Study:

In our study we have found a total of 210 road killed animals out of which 137 specimens were of
herpetofauna, however, among these 57 specimens were so badly smashed that they could not be identified.
A list of the species is given in Table I. A list of identified herpetofauna species is given in table I. The
conservation and protection status of each of these animals is given in table III, as per IUCN red list and
WLPA respectively. Graphical representations of our findings are given there after, followed by some
photographs of road-killed animals for better understanding of the seriousness of the problem addressed.

Studying only the morphological characteristics we did all the identifications [5– 9, 16– 17].
Table I:
Number Of % Of Total Road % Of total
Scientific Name Common Name Animals Killed Documented Road
Found Herpetofauna Kill
Amphibians
Frogs and Toads (Salientia)
Bufo melanostictus Common Toad 6 4.379 2.857
Rhacophorus maculatus Common Tree Frog 2 1.459 0.952
Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis Skittering Frog 1 0.729 0.476
Rana tigerina Indian Bull Frog 8 5.839 3.809
Philautus sp. Bush Frog 1 0.729 0.476
Reptiles
Lizards
Mabuya carinata Keeled Grass Skink 2 1.459 0.952
Mabuya macularia Bronze Grass Skink 5 3.649 2.380
Calotes versicolor Garden Lizard 3 2.189 1.428
Sitana ponticeriana Fan-Throated Lizard 1 0.729 0.476
Snakes
Xenochrophis piscator Checkered Keelback 10 7.299 4.761
Amphiesma stolatum Stripped Keelback 3 2.189 1.428
Dendrelaphis tristis Bronze-back Tree 1 0.729 0.476
Snake
Dendrelaphis pictus Painted Bronze-back 1 0.729 0.476
Elaphe porphyracea Red mountain racer 6 4.379
Ptyas mucosa Rat Snake (Juvenile) 3 2.189 1.428
Ahaetulla nasuta Common Vine 1 0.729 0.476
Bungarus fasciatus Banded Krait 5 3.649 2.380
Popeia popeiorum Pope’s Pit Viper 3 2.189 1.428
Cryptelytrops albolabris White-lipped Pit 15 10.948 7.142
Viper
Table II:
Serial No. Scientific Name Common Name Number Of Animals Found
Early-monsoon Late-Monsoon
Amphibians
01 Bufo melanostictus Common Toad 4 2
02 Rhacophorus maculatus Common Tree 2 0
Frog
03 Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis Skittering Frog 0 1
04 Rana tigerina Indian Bull Frog 3 5
05 Philautus sp. Bush Frog 1 0
Reptiles
06 Mabuya carinata Keeled Grass 2 0
Skink
07 Mabuya macularia Bronze Grass 4 1
Skink
08 Calotes versicolor Garden Lizard 2 1
09 Sitana ponticeriana Fan-Throated 0 1
Lizard
10 Xenochrophis piscator Checkered 4 6
Keelback
11 Amphiesma stolatum Stripped Keelback 3 0
12 Dendrelaphis tristis Bronze-back Tree 1 0
Snake
13 Dendrelaphis pictus Painted Bronze- 1 0
back
14 Elaphe porphyracea Red mountain 4 2
racer
15 Ptyas mucosa Rat Snake 3 0
(Juvenile)
16 Ahaetulla nasuta Common Vine 1 0
17 Bungarus fasciatus Banded Krait 2 3
18 Popeia popeiorum Pope’s Pit Viper 3 0
19 Cryptelytrops albolabris White-lipped Pit 9 6
Viper
Table III:
WLPA Status
Serial No. Scientific Name Common Name IUCN Red List Status [18]
(Schedule) [19]
Amphibians
01 Bufo melanostictus Common Toad Least Concern -
02 Rhacophorus maculatus Common Tree No Data Found -
Frog
03 Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis Skittering Frog Least Concern -
04 Rana tigerina Indian Bull Frog No Data Found -
05 Philautus sp. Bush Frog - -
Reptiles
06 Mabuya carinata Keeled Grass No Data Found IV
Skink
07 Mabuya macularia Bronze Grass No Data Found IV
Skink
08 Calotes versicolor Garden Lizard No Data Found IV
09 Sitana ponticeriana Fan-Throated No Data Found IV
Lizard
10 Xenochrophis piscator Checkered No Data Found II
Keelback
11 Amphiesma stolatum Stripped Keelback No Data Found IV
12 Dendrelaphis tristis Bronze-back Tree No Data Found IV
Snake
13 Dendrelaphis pictus Painted Bronze- No Data Found IV
back
14 Elaphe porphyracea Red mountain No Data Found IV
racer
15 Ptyas mucosa Rat Snake No Data Found II
(Juvenile)
16 Ahaetulla nasuta Common Vine No Data Found IV
17 Bungarus fasciatus Banded Krait No Data Found IV
18 Popeia popeiorum Pope’s Pit Viper No Data Found IV
19 Cryptelytrops albolabris White-lipped Pit No Data Found IV
Viper
Chart I:

Road kill of Herpetofauna and Other Animals

Other animals
35%

Herpetofauna
65%

Chart II:

Herpetofauna specimens (Identifiable and Unidentifiable)

Unidenfiable
specimens
42%

Identifiable
Specimens
58%
 No of Dead Specimens Found
C
om Chart III:

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
m
C on
om To
m ad
on
Tr
ee
Fr
Sk og
itt
er
in
g
In Fr
di og
an
Bu
ll
Fr
og
Bu
Ke sh
el Fr
ed og
G
ra
Br ss
on Sk
ze in
k
G
ra
ss
Sk
G in
ar k
de
Fa n
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ro rd
at
C ed
he Li
ck za
er rd
ed
Ke
St el
rip ba
p ck
Br ed
on Ke
ze el
-b ba
ac ck
Species

k
Tr
Pa ee
in Sn
te ak
d e
Br
on
R ze
-b
ed
m ac
k
ou
nt
R ai
n
at ra
Sn ce
ak r
e
(J
uv
en
C ile
om )
m
on
Vi
ne
Ba
nd
ed
Kr
ai
t
No of Specimen of the Species

Number of Dead Specimens Found Vs. Total Number of Identified herpetofauna Specimens

W
hi
te
-li
pp
ed
Pi
tV
ip
er
Total Specimen
 Number of Road Kills

Chart IV:
C

0
2
4
6
8
10
om
m
on
C To
om
m ad
on
Tr
ee
Fr
Sk og
it t
er
in
g

Early-monsoon
Fr
In og
di
an
Bu
ll
Fr
og
Bu
sh
Ke Fr
el og
ed
G
ra
ss
Br Sk
on in
ze k

Late-Monsoon
G
ra
ss
Sk
in
G k
ar
de
Fa n
Li
n- za
Th rd
ro
at
ed
C Li
he za
ck rd
er
ed
Ke
el
St ba
rip ck
pe
Br d
on Ke
ze el
-b ba
Species ac ck
k
Tr
ee
Pa Sn
in ak
te e
d
Br
on
ze
R -b
ed ac
m k
ou
nt
R ai
n
Monsoon and in Late-Monsoon

at ra
Sn ce
ak r
e
(J
uv
en
ile
C )
om
m
on
Vi
ne
Ba
nd
ed
Kr
ai
t
Comparison of Death of Each Species on road in Early-

W
hi
te
-li
pp
ed
Pi
tV
ip
er
Chart V:

Road kill of Amphibians and Reptiles

(Out of 77 Identified Species only)

Amphibians
23%

Reptiles
77%

Chart VI:

Road Kill of Lizards and Snakes

(Out of 59 Identified Reptiles only)

Lizards
19%

Snakes
81%
Photographs Of Some Important Road Killed Animals:
Herpetofauna

Red Mountain Racer

Bronze-back Tree Snake

 Banded Krait

White-lipped pit viper

Calotes versicolor (Garden Lizard)

Stripped Keelback
 Other Animals

Stork Billed Kingfisher

Common Dragonfly
 Miscellaneous Photographs

Morphological characteristics are being studied for the identification of the species

Picture showing characteristic marking on the head of Red Mountain racer

Scale counting is being performed for proper identification

Trying to find out the sex of the specimen

Conclusion:

Like any other place of the world road-kill is increasingly becoming a serious problem in conservation of
wild animals in our vicinity and in larger sense in our country. We believe this problem should be addressed
properly and sincerely in the interest of conservation of wild animals. For higher mammals many data are
available and NGOs and VOs are quite vocal against it but unfortunately this is not the case with lower
animals. Even in the scientific community data regarding the road-kill of lower animals are inadequate to
quantify the degree of damage and to monitor it’s progression year after year.

However, we suggest the following to control this problem in our surroundings –

o The speed of the vehicles on the forest side road should be strictly controlled by the use of speed
breakers, periodic surveillance or by making permanent check posts or by any other method deemed
suitable for the purpose.
o A narrow and shallow trench on both side of the road may decrease the movements of herpetofauna
and other lower animals on road but should not cause problem for higher mammals like Gaur or
Elephants.
o A detailed and much more elaborated study should be conducted to revel the actual status of the
problem addressed here.
o Periodic monitoring of road-kills to access the effectiveness of the measure(s) taken and progression
of the problem.

References Cited:

1. Herpetofaunal mortality on roads in the Anamalai hills, Southern Western Ghats; S.P.
Vijaykumar, K. Vasudevan and M.M. Ishwar; Hamadryad; 26(2); page 265 – 272; 2001
(available from: http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/faculty/publication/road_kill_hamadryad.pdf)
2. Bioeconomic analysis of herpetofauna road-kills in a Florida State Park; S.A. Shwiff, H.T.
Smith, R.M. Engeman, R.M. Barry, R.J. Rossmanith, M. Nelson; Ecological economics; 64;
page: 181 – 185; 2007 (available from:
http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/6265/1/IND43973497.pdf)
3. Highway mortality of turtles and other herpetofauna at lake Jackson, Florida, USA and the
efficacy of a temporary fence/culvert system to reduce roadkills; M.J. Aresco; ICOET 2003
Proceedings. (available from: http://www.lakejacksonturtles.org/icoet_aresco_03.pdf)
4. Forest types in Official website of West Bengal Forest Department
(http://www.westbengalforest.gov.in/urls_all/forest_major_forest_type.html)
5. Nicholson Edward. 1870. Indian snakes. An elementary treatise of ophiology with a descriptive
catalogue of the snakes found in India and the adjoining countries. Higginbotham and Co.,
Madras.
6. George A. Boulenger. 1890. Reptilia And Batrachia In The Fauna Of British India, Including
Ceylon And Burma Edited by – W. T. Blanford. Thacker, Spink, & Co. Calcutta
7. Gharpurey K.G. 1937. The Snakes of India.
8. Whitaker E & Captain A. 2008. Snakes of India The Field Guide. Draco Books, Chennai, India.
9. Indraneil Das, 2002. A Photographic guide to snakes and other reptiles of India, Om Books
International.
10. http://nrdms.gov.in/Final%20Project%20Summaries/32/Report.htm - 10
11. http://maps.google.co.in/ (2nd Map)
12. http://image.google.co.in/ (1st Map)
13. http://www.westbengalforest.gov.in/publication_pdf/State_Monitoring_Report_06-07.pdf
14. http://www.westbengalforest.gov.in/update_06-080-
09/Publication/State_Monitoring_Report_07-08_full.pdf
15. http://www.westbengalforest.gov.in/urls_all/publication.html
16. Daniel, J.C.; A book of Indian reptiles and Amphibians, BHNS, Oxford.
17. Daniel, R.; Amphibians of peninsular India; Universities Press, Indian Academy of Science.
18. www.iucnredlist.org/
19. http://envfor.nic.in/legis/wildlife/wildlife1.html

The Back cover picture was collected on day other than schedule survey days