A Day of Reptile: A RARE SIGHTING OF 4 RAT SNAKES

 A RARE SIGHTING OF 4 RAT SNAKES IN A CLUTCH

AN ACCOUNT OF  REPTILE SIGHTING  IN THE GARDEN OF  REGIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, SIDDHARTHA NAGARA, MYSORE – 570 011, SOUTH INDIA.

Lakshmana, a museum staff is no Snake Shyam....

 24^th May, 2014, Saturday was an interesting day for the visitors as well as for the staff of RMNH MYSORE. A bright day glowing with the reflected light of pre Monsoon clouds descending on the lush green patches patterned with beautiful butterflies and small birds witnessed the crawling guests too.

Measuring the snake was quite an adventure!

At about 10.30 Am the gardeners spotted a RAT SNAKE [ Dhaman or Common Rat snake, Ptyas mucosus (Linn) crawling out of the lawns near the parking lot and raised alarm, which brought the visitors to a curious halt. Mr.Lakshmana, an employee of the museum came out and finds the sneaking friend into the storm water drain, with an ability and passion he caught the whirling reptile out and measured it, it measured to a length of about 7.8 feet. He put the animal in a bag, later to release it in the Karanji Nature Park limits. For his surprise, the onlookers screamed, THERE ARE SNAKES BEHIND YOU! Once again he happened to sprung into action, he could detect another three snakes in a clutch , ably he could catch two of them, which were measured about 8 feet and 7.10 feet respectively , where as the third one escaped in the melee, but sighted by the evening sliding inside a   storm water drain.  Later the snakes were shifted to Mysore Zoo. [May be the snakes congregated for mating]

S J Srinivasa

Such large rat snakes are seldom seen in plains

[Photo credits: B.S.Yogendra, Scientist in charge & Mr. Raghavendra, Security guard.]