A Checklist of Ophidian Fauna of West Bengal, India along with their Status, Distribution and Conservation

A checklist of ophidian fauna (snakes) comprising of 112 species belonging lo 9 families from West Bengal, India is presented along with their Bengali names, status, distribution and conservation needs. Of these, 46 species are considered herein to be rare, 2 species as threatened and 1 species as endangered in West Bengal. The Hill and Dooars region represents the highest number of 79 species of ophidian fauna from West Bengal. A considerable number of ophidian species exclusively inhabit the coastal waters and the Himalayan foothills. Some suggestions towards conservation and management have been given and inclusion of King Cobra under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act has been recommended.