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Two Rare Snakes Spotted Together in Gujarat's Kutch
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News18•12-10-2026, 21:15
Two Rare Snakes Spotted Together in Gujarat's Kutch
- •A rare pair of a black-headed royal snake and an Afro-Asian sand snake were spotted together in the Kala Dungar region of Kutch.
- •The black-headed royal snake is non-venomous, whereas the 70-cm-long Afro-Asian sand snake is mildly venomous.
- •The sighting of the Afro-Asian sand snake is believed to be only the second or third recorded instance in Gujarat.
- •Forest officials discovered the rare snakes during routine patrolling in the Juna Beat of the Khavda Round.
- •The discovery highlights the rich biodiversity and unique arid ecosystem of the Kutch district.
Key Questions Answered
A pair comprising an extremely rare non-venomous ‘Rajwadi Snake’ (black-headed royal snake) and a mildly venomous ‘Retiya Snake’ (Afro-Asian sand snake) were spotted together in the Kala Dungar region of Kutch.
The recent discovery of the Afro-Asian sand snake is likely only the second or third recorded sighting of the species in the state of Gujarat.
Officials reported on Monday, October 12, that the rare snakes were discovered together last month during patrolling by the Range Forest Officer and local staff in the Juna Beat.
