The Assam keelback (Herpetoreas pealii), an endemic snake to Assam, has made a surprising reappearance 129 years after it was last seen. Samuel Edward Peal, a British tea planter, first spotted the rare snake in 1891. Since then, there has been no record of its sighting, leading many to believe that the species had gone extinct.
Rediscovery of a Lost Species
Previously considered a lost species, the Assam keelback was rediscovered in 2018. Its sighting came from an unexpected source — the Poba Reserve Forest, located along the Assam-Arunachal border. A team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) happened upon the elusive snake while revisiting the path of a historical event, the Abor Expedition.
The Abor Expedition was a significant military strategy carried out by the British against the Abors in 1911. While retracing the steps of this expedition, the WII researchers stumbled upon the long-lost snake.
About the Assam Keelback
The non-venomous Assam keelback is named after Samuel Peal and its place of origin, Assam. The small snake measures around 60 cm in length and possesses a distinct brown shade accompanied by a patterned belly. The Assam keelback belongs to an exclusive genus (Herpetoreas), grouped with only four other species primarily found in the Eastern and Western Himalayas, South China, and Northeast India.
Conservation Status: Data Deficient
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Assam keelback as ‘data deficient.’ This status is highly concerning, as it signifies a lack of available information about the species. Thus, it is challenging to ascertain its exact conservation status.
Poba Reserve Forest: The Snake’s Natural Habitat
The Assam keelback’s natural habitat, Poba Reserve Forest, is currently under threat. Although the National Highway-15 runs through it, the reserve forest faces severe destruction of its forest cover due to illicit activities. Unscrupulous individuals exploit the forest resources through random hunting, poaching, and unlawful gathering. These actions pose a significant threat to the already scarce wildlife population, including the rare Assam keelback.
Source: IE