There are about 272 species of snakes in India, In which a major percentage fall into the Non-Venomous category. The Venomous snakes are about 58 species. But there are only 4 species of snakes which are considered dangerous to man, these are called "The big four venomous".

1) Cobra
2) Krait
3) Russells Viper
4) Saw Scaled viper

The remaining categories of venomous snakes do not pose a threat to man. For example, the bite from a Large scaled pit viper(Trimeresurus macrolepis) , is venomous and causes pain, but the venom is not potent enough to kill a full grown human being. The sea snake is considered to be the most venomous snake as it has a high potency of venom, but they are usually timid and shy away from humans at first glance, and not many of us fancy swimming in the sea often, especially in the deeper side. I have seen fishermen pick up a sea snake which usually gets caught in their nets by mistake, and throw it back into the sea like throwing a piece of rope .So, the danger of dying from a sea snake doesn't arise. The king cobra is usually a very large snake and it is known to have a very potent venom with the added advantage of huge venom sacs, It is the only snake that can fall an elephant. But it is found in rare habitats and there are very few records of people dying from a King's bite in India so far. So i suppose there is no necessity to worry about a King biting one of us because of its rarity.

It is however quite sufficient for normal city dwellers to learn to recognise the Big four venomous snakes and stay away from them. The remaining snakes, DO NOT POSE ANY THREAT to humans. But sadly Humans pose a threat to all snakes. Even most non-venomous species are sometimes killed saying " Oh my god!! This is a Dhamin ( Rat Snake), It attacks and bites with the tail ,come on Bahadur, smash it!!". I will later write about the most outrageous things I have heard (even educated people say) about snakes.Sometimes it is quite funny to us at the FOSC, but then sometimes it is so unfortunate that people have serious misconceptions about snakes and the belief is so deep rooted, that we have heard people suffer from cardiac arrests after getting bitten by a non-venomous specimen, out of fright.

Well, let me introduce some snake species found in Andhra Pradesh...

The Non-Venomous snakes found in Andhra Pradesh are..

=== 1) Common Worm Snake === Typhlina bramina

Scientific classification

Typhlina bramina is a snake found primarily in the South Asia and true to its name resembles a worm growing to a maximum length of 12.5 cm. It is small and wormlike with smooth shiny scales and a blunt head and tail. They are reddish brown or black and superficially look like earthworms. They are harmless snakes found even in Andamans. This also the only snake reported from Lakshadweep Islands.

Habitat Worm snakes live underground in ant and termite nests. They are also found under logs, moist leaves and humus in wet forest, dry jungle and e ven city gardens. The distribution and surival of this group of snakes directly reflects soil humidity and temperature. Since deforestation has become rampant in India, it is likely that some of the forest species of worm snakes will not survive.

=== 2)Indian Rock Python === Python molurus

Scientific classification

Habitat Indian Rock Python (Python molurus molurus) is a python found in India, especially in the estuarine mangrove forest, the arid scrub jungle and the cool dense rain forests.

Food These large, thick bodied snakes have smooth scales and a bright pattern of blotches. They can grow up to 3 metres in length. Like other pythons are non-venomous. They prey mainly on mice and birds, although jackals, civets, and even wild boar and deer are occasionally eaten. There is no authentic case of a human being eaten by a python in India. They are in fact valuable as predators on agricultural pests.

Miscellaneous These snakes have often been killed for their fine skin and are endangered. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, python meat is eaten by locals as the fat has proposed medicinal value. Like most snakes, they take one huge meal and can go for up to two years without eating.

=== 3)Common Sand Boa === Eryx conicus

Scientific classification

Identification It is thick and round, from 1 to 2i feet long. Its tail is very short, sharply tapering, and conical, and is only 1 to li inches long. The head shows practi-cally no shields, being mostly covered by small scales. It's grey with yellowish-brown blotches on the back forming a sort of irregular chain. Some specimens are of a dark-brown or blackish colour, with irregular grey stripes across the back. The young are more brilliantly coloured. The snake has a projecting snout,with the mouth placed under it. The snout is adapted for bur-rowing into the ground. The neck is practically absent, so that the head merges into the body without any narrowing. Super-ficially it looks somewhat like a baby Python. The markings on the back may lead one to mistake it for a Russell's Viper, but its belly-plates are narrow unlike those of the latter. The eyes are very small, the pupil being vertically elliptical and the iris speckled yellow.

Habits It burrows and lives in holes, which are not very deep. A live specimen was brought to the author, caught by prisoners as they were digging in the jail garden at Dhulia in the Bombay State. Whilst being handled, it gave birth to two live young ones, and on dissection fully developed embryos were found inside. This shows that it does not lay eggs but brings forth its young alive.

Miscellaneous It is an extremely sluggish snake and is not uncommonly seen in a snake-charmer's basket. It is an ugly snake. It prefers to inhabit sandy places. It has the habit of hiding its head beneath the body for some time. It lives on small mammals like mice and squirrels, differing in this respect from the other burrowing earth-snakes. It kills its prey by constriction and begins to swallow it only when life is crushed out of the victim

=== 4)Red Sand Boa === Eryx johnii

Scientific classification

Eryx johnii is a species of snake found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and India.

Identification Presence of a mental groove, a pronounced angular ridge on the muzzle, a blunt tail and costal scales over 53.

Food Mainly mammals such as rats, mice and other small rodents which are killed by constriction.

Breeding Ovoviviparous with upto fourteen young born at a time

=== 5)Common Wolf snake === Lycodon aulicus

Scientific classification

Lycodon aulicus is a terrestrial slender bodied snake. Generally they are brown in colour with yellow cross-bars which are obvious near the head and diminishes near the tail.

Distribution Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India (north to Himalyas and Assam; Maharashtra), Nepal, Myanmar (= Burma), Thailand (incl. Phuket), W.Malaysia, Indonesia (southward as far as Timor), Philippines, Seychelles, Mascarenes, Mauritius (introduced), S China (from Fujian and Guangdong westward to Yunnan, incl. Hong Kong)

=== 6)Barred Wolf Snake === Lycodon striatus

Scientific classification

Lycodon striatus is a terrestrial slender bodied snake. Generally they are brown in colour with many cross-bars .

Distribution Sri Lanka, NW India (Maharashtra), Pakistan, USSR, S Turkmenistan (Kopet-Dagh), W Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, E/NE Iran, Afghanistan bicolor:Pakistan

=== 7)Banded Kukri === Oligodon arnensis

Scientific classification

=== 8)Streaked Kukri Snake === Oligodon taeniolata

Scientific classification

=== 9)BuffStriped Keelback === Amphiesma stolata

Scientific classification

=== 10)Green Keelback === Macropisthodon plumbicolor

Scientific classification

=== 11)Checkered KeelBack === Xenochropis piscator

Scientific classification

Xenochrophis piscator is a common species of non-venomous fresh water snake.

Identification It has a uniform chess-board pattern of black spots on its body. It has two tear-marks just below the eyes.

Nature Once caught, shows extreme agression and readily bites anything but the bite is completely harmless.

Habitat Found near fresh water,lakes etc.Feeds mainly on small fishes and water frogs. Average length is more than 4 ft.

Distribution Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India (Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Siddi (=Gandhigram), Deban - Changlang district, Van Vihar, Chessa, Chimpu, Itanagar - Papum Pare district) ), Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, West Malaysia, China (Chekiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Nan Ao Island, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan), Taiwan,Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes = Sulawesi

=== 12)Olive KeelBack === Atretium schistosum

Scientific classification

Atretium schistosum is a species of snake found in Sri Lanka, India and Nepal.

Identification Distinguished by a combination of characters, namely a single internasal, 19 costals at mid body and 8 to 9 supralabials.

Habits Lives in water or among the surrounding vegetation. Largely diurnal and feeds mainly on frogs, fish and crabs.

Miscellaneous Oviparous

=== 13)Trinket Snake === Elaphe helena

Scientific classification

Elaphe helena is a terrestrial snake. It feeds on frogs, toads, etc.

=== 14)Rat Snake === Ptyas mucosus

Scientific classification

Ptyas mucosus is a terrestrial snake. The Rat snake can grow upto 11 feet in length.

Identification Variations in the colours are due to different climatic conditions and change in habitats. The Rat snake has black tear marks hust below the labial. They have numerous cross bars near the tail.

Food Voracious feeder of rats and mice. They eat frogs and toads too.

=== 15)Banded Racer === Argyrogena fasciolatus

Scientific classification

Argyrogena fasciolata is a species of snake found in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Shaw's description was based on a plate in Russell, Ind. Serp. (1796).

Size Average size over 1 metre

Identification Anal 2, supralabials 8, 3rd divided, 4th and 5th touching eye.5th and 6th higest touching temporal.

Habits Frequents jungle tracts, occasionally in urban areas and open places

Food Small mammals like rats and amphibians

Miscellaneous Oviparous

=== 16)BronzeBack Tree Snake === Dendrelaphis tristis

Scientific classification

Dendrelaphis tristis is a species of tree-snake found in Sri Lanka, India , Pakistan , Nepal

Identification It is a long slender snake with a bronze coloured line running down its back. It has a pointed head.

Food Feeds mainly on tree geckos, frogs and small birds. It gracefully moves through thick vegetation.

General It broadens it neck to show white and blueish interscale coloration when disturbed.

=== 17)Green Wine Snake === Ahaetulla nasutus

Scientific classification

=== 18)Common Cat Snake === Boiga trigonata

Scientific classification

=== 19)Dumeril's BlackHeaded Snake === Sidynophis subpunctatus Scientific classification

=== 20)Dog-Faced Watersnake === Cerebrus rhynchops

Scientific classification

The Venomous Snakes found in Andhra Pradesh are...

1)Common Krait ( Bangarus caeruleus)
2)Banded Krait ( Bangarus fasciatus)
3)Indian Spectacled Cobra ( Naja naja)
4)King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
5)Sea Snakes ( Enhydrina sp. and Laticauda-about 15 species found along the A.P.Coastline.)
6)Russells Viper ( Vipera russellii)
7)Saw-Scaled Viper ( Echis carinatus)
8)Bamboo Pit Viper ( Trimeresurus gramineus)