LOGIN DASHBOARD

    Features

    5 MIN READ

    Two white snakes, first of their species in the world, found in Nepal

    Sanjib Chaudhary, November 25, 2020, Kathmandu

    Two white snakes, first of their species in the world, found in Nepal

      Share this article

    Research paper led by a Nepali author explains the rare phenomenon of 'leucism' in two krait species

    (One of the leucistic kraits discovered in Nepal. Photo by Dev Narayan Mandal and Ganesh Sah. Used with permission.)

    According to a research paper published in October 2020, two white-coloured kraits (of the genus Bungarus) discovered during rescue calls in Nepal's southeastern region of Province No. 2, are the first such recorded cases in their species. Kraits are known to be some of the most venomous snakes found in the Indian subcontinent.

    On April 25, 2020, a pink-skinned, black-eyed wall’s krait (Bungarus walli) was found in the Dhanushadham municipality in the province's Dhanusha District.

    “The snake was kept inside a clay pot,” explained Ganesh Sah, a reptile rescuer and wildlife photographer who spoke with Global Voices by phone. He added that a villager initially assumed that he was not a rescuer but someone who wanted to profit from discovering the snake. “I had to convince the community members before they allowed me to release the snake into [its] natural habitat.”

    A little over a month later, on June 3, Sah rescued another leucistic snake that had been discovered in Dhanushadham's Kishanpur region. This Bungarus niger species, commonly called the greater black krait, looked similar to the one found in Matiarba in April:

    Leucism and albinism in snakes

    Leucism, a genetic condition that is often confused with albinism, is caused by either a complete or partial loss of pigmentation, resulting in white-coloured skin. Eye colour, however, is not affected.

    Albinism, on the other hand, is caused by an absence of melanin, which is what gives skin and eyes their colour. The eyes of albino snakes appear pink because the blood vessels shine through their eyeballs.

    In a telephone interview, Kamal Devkota, the lead author of the research paper, noted that either leucism or albinism in venomous snakes makes them more vulnerable: their appearance makes them easy to spot, so they often fall prey to predators, and their inability to camouflage presents them with difficulties in finding food. Moreover, they are unable to thermoregulate properly, which affects their movement and digestion.

    Read also: The first recorded two-headed banded kukri snake discovered in Nepal

    Venomous snakes of Nepal

    The photographic guide Venomous Snakes of Nepal states that out of the 89 snake species recorded in the country, 17 — including six different species of kraits — are considered highly venomous and dangerous.

    The Wall’s krait (Bungarus walli) variety has a head, body and tail that is typically shiny black, brownish-black or grey, with numerous narrow white or yellowish bands. It has been recorded in Nepal's southeast lowlands, the Gangetic floodplains of northern India, and Bangladesh's delta region.

    The greater black krait (Bungarus niger) has a shiny black, brownish-black or dark chocolate head, body and tail with no bands or lines. It has been recorded in the lowlands and lower mountains of Nepal, Bhutan, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

    Kraits are usually active at night and their bites can prove fatal within as little as 24 hours. The World Health Organization estimates that 20,000 people are bitten by snakes each year in Nepal, and more than 1,000 of them die. Many studies suggest, however, that the figures may be higher.

    Although less than 20 per cent of the snake species found in Nepal are highly venomous, people tend to be afraid of all snakes. Quite often, rat snakes — which are non-venomous — are mistaken for cobras, as are wolf snakes for kraits.

    Such cases of mistaken identity usually result in the killing of these creatures, but awareness programmes and the establishment of snake information centres have helped change people’s perceptions as organisations and individuals alike have been rescuing snakes and educating people about them.

    This article was previously published in Global Voices, an international and multilingual community of writers, translators, academics, and human rights activists. 



    author bio photo

    Sanjib Chaudhary  No bio.

      



    Comments

    Get the best of

    the Record

    Previous Next

    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

    Opinions

    5 min read

    Achieving social justice through educational reform

    Kunti Adhikari - January 6, 2021

    Education can only be the great equaliser if everyone is provided quality education.

    News

    2 min read

    Landslides continue to batter Sindhupalchok

    The Record - September 13, 2020

    Villages routinely get swept away in Nepal’s most landslide-prone district because locals, fed up with government apathy, are building settlements in risky locations

    COVID19

    4 min read

    Grim lessons

    Nikesh Dahal - March 31, 2020

    The coronavirus pandemic stands as a stark warning for a far more menacing ecological crisis

    Features

    Longreads

    32 min read

    The Araniko Highway conundrum

    Sam Cowan - August 26, 2021

    Is maintaining the Kodari crossing between Nepal and China as an international highway a lost cause?

    Features

    5 min read

    Choking city

    Shuvam Rizal - January 12, 2021

    Kathmandu air pollution will have long-term impacts not just on public health but also on individual cognition and the national economy.

    News

    6 min read

    The smart city of Waling

    Prasansha Rimal - December 30, 2021

    When Mayor Dillip Pratap Khand assumed office, he set out on a mission to turn Waling into one of Nepal’s first ‘smart cities’. Five years on, he has little to show.

    Perspectives

    7 min read

    A tale of displacement for conservation

    Nirupan Karki - February 11, 2022

    The longstanding ‘park-people’ conflict surrounding Chitwan National Park, which includes instances of gross human rights violations against the Tharu community, is a story that is often buried in the garb of conservation.

    COVID19

    News

    5 min read

    Covid19 Roundup, 11 May: Cases reach 134 as MPs propose bigger health budget

    The Record - May 11, 2020

    A daily summary of Covid19 related developments that matter

    • About
    • Contributors
    • Jobs
    • Contact

    CONNECT WITH US

    © Copyright the Record | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy