Rare Sand Snake Spotted In Kutch After 150 Years, Forest Patrol Captures First Confirmed Sighting

A routine forest patrol near Kala Dungar in Kutch has led to the confirmed sighting of a rare Afro-Asian sand snake, also known as the Schokari Sand Racer, more than 150 years after the species was last conclusively recorded in the region. The snake was photographed and filmed by Gujarat Forest Department officials earlier this month, providing a rare glimpse of the elusive species in Kutch’s arid landscape.

Snake Spotted During Evening Forest Patrol

The unusual discovery took place on the evening of September 6, when Range Forest Officer Jayesh Dumadiya, 32, of the Gujarat Forest Department’s Bhuj North Range was returning from a patrol with his team.

At around 7.30 pm, the team stopped after spotting a common black-headed royal snake. While they were dealing with the snake, another unfamiliar reptile appeared on the road.

Dumadiya, who had recently been transferred to Kutch, quickly photographed the snake and recorded a video before sharing the material with experts for identification.

The experts identified it as the Afro-Asian sand snake, a slender and fast-moving species rarely encountered in this part of India.

Last Confirmed Record Dates Back To 1872

The significance of the discovery comes from the species’ long historical gap in Kutch.

Czech naturalist Ferdinand Stoliczka collected specimens of the snake during his surveys of Kutch in 1871 and 1872. The species was subsequently documented in scientific literature.

Although there have reportedly been possible sightings in the intervening years, officials said none had been conclusively confirmed in the region until the latest observation.

The new sighting therefore provides a link between a 19th-century scientific record and a confirmed observation in present-day Kutch.

Rare Snake Adapted To Arid Habitats

The Afro-Asian sand snake is adapted to dry and arid environments. In India, it is mainly known from parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The species is mildly venomous but generally poses little danger to humans. Its diet includes small animals such as lizards and rodents.

Kutch’s Lesser-Known Wildlife Gets Spotlight

The discovery has drawn attention to the diverse wildlife found across Kutch’s deserts and scrublands. Despite its dry and seemingly barren landscape, the region supports a variety of species, including several that remain relatively understudied.

Forest officials now plan to document the sighting in greater detail and publish their findings in scientific journals. The record could add significant information to the natural history and wildlife documentation of Kutch.