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| A copper coloured rat snake found at Parulia rescued by wildlife expert Abhishek Acharya. Telegraph picture |
Balasore, June 26: The wildlife division of Balasore has rescued an eight-feet long rat snake that is unique in nature.
The dark copper colour reptile was never spotted before in the state, said wildlife officials. The department has decided to send the reptile to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar for research.
The snake was found in Parulia village under Baliapal block yesterday near a pond. It was initially rescued from the spot by a snake rescue team led by Abhishek Acharya, a wildlife activist.
“The snake is unique in nature because of its colour. Never a snake of such colour has been sighted anywhere in the state. The photograph of the snake was sent to the national snake rescue organisation and it also confirmed that its colour was rare,” Acharya said. Divisional forest officer Harsh Bradhan Udgata said: “It has a rare colour. Rat snakes of yellow, golden and even black colour were found earlier, but for the first time a copper colour one has been spotted.”
“During mating time the snakes change colour. But in this case nothing can be concluded concretely. Since more research is needed, we are sending it to the Nandankanan zoo,” he said.
The non-venomous reptile, a male of nearly four years, weighed about five kgs. At present it has been kept at cage in Balasore forest range office before it is despatched to Nandankanan.
Wildlife warden Bhanoomitra Acharya said: “This is the first case reported of a rat snake found in such colour. We would visit Baliapal, the place where the snake was found, to see if there are more such snakes.”
Another wildlife expert Susil Dutta said: “It could be due to formation of pigmentation. The reasons should be studied.”