A Glimpses of ophiofaunal diversity in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India

Jalpaiguri is one of the diversified district of West Bengal, India in terms of its geographical, faunal and floristic characteristics. It is situated in the biodiversity zone 7B of North-East Himalayan Belt. The Longitude is 88.717468° and Latitude is 26.52202°As Jalpaiguri under North Bengal is one of the most diversed zone (zone 7B) in India. It harbors vivid reptilian fauna specially snakes in its Tropical Rain Forest areas. There are more than 25 snakes species are being found out of listed 278 snakes (Neelim Kumar, Snakes,5^th ed., 2010) species throughout the country out of which only 52 species (B.K. Saha, Snake-The Hero of Legends, 2^nd ed., 2005) are venomous. Within West Bengal, in our district Jalpaiguri, of 25 identified snake species, 12 species are being identified as non venomous. 3 species are mildly venomous and rest of them is venomous. All an average more than 30 snake bite cases have been taken place every year in which 20% cases lead to fatal in Jalpaiguri district. In fact in terms of diversity of Ophiofauna, Jalpaiguri is one of the richest areas under Northern Himalayan Biodiversity belt.