Nagpur: In a rare and surprising discovery, a Bamboo Pit Viper, an endangered species from the Viperidae family, was found inside a house in the Bharatwada area on Thursday. The snake, usually native to the Western Ghats, is extremely uncommon in the Vidarbha region, making this sighting significant.
The viper was spotted among Bhelwa leaves that resident Vikas Tumsare had brought home for Pola celebrations. On noticing the unusual reptile, Tumsare immediately contacted snake rescuer Abhishek Rahangdale. Rahangdale, along with Aakash Sonkule of the Wildlife Welfare Society, promptly reached the spot and launched a rescue operation.
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18 Aug 2025
The duo safely captured the snake, which measured between 2 to 2.5 feet, and identified it as a Bamboo Pit Viper. It was later handed over to the Transit Treatment Centre (TTC) at Seminary Hills for examination. Wildlife experts confirmed that this was the first officially recorded sighting of a Bamboo Pit Viper in Nagpur district.
Known for its striking appearance and preference for bamboo thickets, the Bamboo Pit Viper is among the rarest snakes in India. Classified as venomous, it has unique survival traits, including absorbing water droplets directly on its head. After necessary checks, the rescued viper was safely released into a forested area.
