Out of about 3000 species of Snakes found all over the world.There are only about 79 indentified Snakes in Nepal, and only 19 of them are venomous. The most common and the most Venoums are :
The Common Cobra Naja Naja
The common cobra, Naja Naja is a very venomous snake belonging to family Elapidae. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake". When disturbed or stressed they rear up and spread their hoods. Naja naja was first described by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. The generic and specific epithet name naja is a Latinisation of the Sanskrit word naga meaning "cobra". The spectacled Cobra is one of the most common snakes of South Asia and results in death of many people every year. The venom of Cobra is most Virulent. It is a neurotoxin, attacks the nerve centers and causing paralysis of muscles, mostly of respiratory muscles. Snake do not usually go around biting humans, but when cornered and threatened they attack, the venom is transmitted through Fangs, which are specialized teeth attached to maxillary bones. They serve as hypodermic needles for injecting venom. The fangs, when broken or lost are replaced by new sets of fangs. In Cobra, the fangs are Proteroglyphous at the front of maxillae and permanently erect. Each fang is grooved all along its anterior face. The Cobra venom effect was described by Late Prof, K.N. Bahl by the word COBRA as, Spinal Cord (CO) and Brain (BRA) is affected. Coagulation of Blood (COB) is reduced (R) so that wound bleeds for hours and death occurs by asphyxia (A). ASVS, Anti Snake Venom Serum are very expensive. Therefore, since, 1999 the Nepalese government has made ASVS free to Nepalese Snakebite victim. Lyophilizes polyvalent ASVS (effective against the venom of Cobra, Krait , Russells Viper) are used in Nepal to treat snake bite victims.
The Russell's viper Daboia russelii
Russell's Viper is widely distributed venomous species of Nepal. It is most common in Terai region and also found in hills upto 2000m. The body coloration is brown with keeled scales with white cross bars. There is a thermoreceptor of heat sensing pit between eyes and snout. This species of Viper is believed to cause more deaths in Terai region of Nepal than the Cobras because they are nocturnal and very hard to avoid.
The common krait Bungarus caeruleus
It is one of the most familiar Krait found in Nepal. It is a nocturnal species and is found living under cracked walls and heaps of stones. It is also known as "Blue Krait" due to its dark blue color on upper aspect of the body. It does not exceed over 2 m in length. It is generally found near termite mounds, rat holes and among piles of bricks or rubbish. It may be found in agricultural areas as well. It is found up to the altitude of 1400 m. The snake is extremely Venomous.
The king Cobra Ophiophagus hannah (Rare and Venomous)
The King Cobra as the name suggest is on the top of food chain in snake world. The name Ophiophagus literally means Snake Eater (Ophio -Snake Phagus - To eat) . King Cobra is the largest venomous snake on Earth! It can reach the length of 18 feet and can erect 1/3 part of its body in mid air, that basically means the Snake can look in the eyes of full grown man and emit a scary bone chilling hiss like that of a growling dog. Though King Cobra venom are not considered as one of the most venomous but the amount released from the King Cobra are twice the amount released from other snakes!
So, Basically these are all the snakes that you must ignore (but not kill) just do not disturb them! And, regarding others, they are most rear fanged snakes and not venomous! You should not be worried about dying from Snake bites if its not one of them, and few others that I will write about later!
Now lets move on to the Common but non Venomous snakes of Nepal. Well the most common Snake of all has to be the Common Rat snake ( Ptyas Mucosus ) commonly locally known as Dhaman in Nepal. Generally it is found in low hills and mostly near human habitation. It has a thin head, which is distinct from the neck, large eyes long and slender tail. The rat snake is very active during the day time. They consume rats and small snakes. The rat snake to emits a sound similar to that of growling dog.
Another well known non venomous species of Nepal is the Asiatic Rock Python Python m. molurus. Commonly known as Ajingar in Nepal. Mostly carried around by Jogi's. But it is one of the Endangered species of Nepal and its trade is Illegal!
The list of species of Snakes of Nepal are as follows!
Sub Order Family Scientific Names
Now lets move on to the Common but non Venomous snakes of Nepal. Well the most common Snake of all has to be the Common Rat snake ( Ptyas Mucosus ) commonly locally known as Dhaman in Nepal. Generally it is found in low hills and mostly near human habitation. It has a thin head, which is distinct from the neck, large eyes long and slender tail. The rat snake is very active during the day time. They consume rats and small snakes. The rat snake to emits a sound similar to that of growling dog.
Another well known non venomous species of Nepal is the Asiatic Rock Python Python m. molurus. Commonly known as Ajingar in Nepal. Mostly carried around by Jogi's. But it is one of the Endangered species of Nepal and its trade is Illegal!
The list of species of Snakes of Nepal are as follows!
Sub Order Family Scientific Names
| SERPENTES | TYPHLOPIDAE | 51.Ramphotyphlops braminus |
| 52.Typhlops diardii diardii | ||
| 53.Typhlops porrectus | ||
| BOIDAE | 54.Eryx conica conica | |
| 55.Eryx johnii johnii | ||
| 56.Python molurus molurus | ||
| 57.Python molurus bivittatus | ||
| COLUBRIDAE | 58.Ahaetulla nasutus | |
| 59.Amphiesma parallela | ||
| 60.Amphiesma platyceps | ||
| 61.Amphiesma stolata | ||
| 62.Argyrogena fasciolatus | ||
| 63.Atretium schistosum | ||
| 64.Boiga cyanea | ||
| 65.Boiga forsteni | ||
| 66.Boiga multifasciata | ||
| 67.Boiga nuchalis | ||
| 68.Boiga ochracea ochracea | ||
| 69.Boiga ochracea stoliczkae | ||
| 70.Boiga trigonatus | ||
| 71.Chrysopelea ornata ornata | ||
| 72.Trachischium leave | ||
| 73.Dendrelaphis tristis | ||
| 74.Elachistodon westermanni | ||
| 75.Elaphe cantoris | ||
| 76.Elaphe helena helena | ||
| 77.Elaphe hodgsonii | ||
| 78.Elaphe porphyracea porphyracea | ||
| 79.Elaphe radiata | ||
| 80.Enhydris enhydris | ||
| 81.Enhydris sieboldii | ||
| 82.Homalopsis buccata | ||
| 83.Liopeltis rappii | ||
| 84.Lycodon aulicus | ||
| 85.Lycodon jara | ||
| 86.Oligodon albocinctus | ||
| 87.Oligodon arnensis | ||
| 88.Oligodon erythrogaster | ||
| 89.Psammodynastes pulverulentus | ||
| 90.P. condanarus condanarus | ||
| 91.Pseudoxenodon macrops macrops | ||
| 92.Ptya mucosus mucosus | ||
| 93.Ptya nigromarginatus | ||
| 94.Rhabdophis himalayanus | ||
| 95.Rhabdophis subminiatus | ||
| 96.Sibynophis collaris | ||
| 97.Sibynophis sagittaria | ||
| 98.Spalerophis diadema atriceps | ||
| 99. Trachischium fuscum | ||
| 100.Tracchischium guentheri | ||
| 101.Tracchischium monticolum | ||
| 102.Tracchischium tenuiceps | ||
| 103.Xenochrophis cerasogaster | ||
| 104.X. flaavipunctatus schnurenbergerii | ||
| 105.Xenochrophis piscator | ||
| 106.Xenochrophis sanctijohannis | ||
| ELAPIDAE | 107. Bungarus bungaroides | |
| 108. Bungarus caeruleus | ||
| 109. Bungarus fasciatus | ||
| 110. Bungarus lividus | ||
| 111. Bungarus niger | ||
| 112. Hemibungarus macclellandi univirgatus | ||
| 113. Naja kaouthia | ||
| 114. Naja naja | ||
| 115. Ophiophagus hanah | ||
| VIPERIDAE | 116. Agkistrodon himalayanus | |
| 117. Daboia russelii russelii | ||
| 118. Ovophis monticola monticola | ||
| 119. Protobothrops jerdonii jerdonii | ||
| 120. Trimeresurus albolabris | ||
| 121. Trimeresurus erythrurus | ||
| 122. Trimeresurus gramineus | ||
| 123. Trimeresurus karanshahi | ||
| 124. Trimeresurus septentrionalis | ||
| 125. Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri | ||
| 126. Trimeresurus stejnegeri yunnanensis | ||
| 127. Trimeresurus tibetanus |
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