The Herpetological Bulletin 172, 2025: 46
NATURAL HISTORY NOTE https://doi.org/10.33256/hb172.46
Scavenging behaviour of the hump-nosed pit viper Hypnale hypnale
in Goa, India
KULDIP TOPO1 & SAGAR NAIK2*
Mineral Foundation of Goa, Panaji, Goa 403001, India
1
2
School of Biological Sciences & Biotechnology, Zoology Discipline, Goa University, Taleigao plateau 403206, India
*
Corresponding author e-mail:
[email protected]S cavenging is an opportunistic feeding behaviour that
has been commonly observed in snakes (DeVault &
Krochmal, 2002). The hump-nosed pit viper Hypnale
numerous road kill incidents involving rodents, amphibians,
and reptiles. This observation provides the first conclusive
evidence of H. hypnale scavenging, indicating that this
hypnale (Merrem, 1820), is widely distributed across Sri species, while primarily an ambush predator, also adopts
Lanka and the southern Western Ghats of India up to 16° this opportunistic foraging strategy.
latitude (Smith, 1943; Whitaker, 1978). In Goa, H. hypnale
inhabits a variety of habitats, including semi-evergreen REFERENCES
forests, moist deciduous forests and plantations. It is often
found in terrestrial leaf litter or semi-arboreal shrubs where DeVault, T.L. & Krochmal, A.R. (2002). Scavenging
it is primarily an ambush predator, preying on skinks, frogs by snakes: an examination of the literature.
and lizards (Sawant et al., 2010). Herpetologica 58(4): 429–436. https://doi.
On 14 November 2024, at approximately 19:25 h, org/10.1655/0018-0831(2002)058[0429:SBSAEO]2.0.
we observed a rodent killed by a vehicle on the Mollem CO;2.
Highway in Goa (15° 22’22.6” N, 74° 13’53.7” E), India. Sawant, N.S., Jadhav, T.D. & Shyama, S.K. (2010). Habitat
Its body was severely ruptured, evidenced by intestinal suitability, threats and conservation strategies of hump-
rupturing but the head was intact. Shortly afterward, a nosed pit viper Hypnale hypnale Merrem (Reptilia:
hump-nosed pit viper approached the carcass and inspected Viperidae) found in Western Ghats, Goa, India. Journal
it from head to tail. The snake began consuming the rodent of Threatened Taxa 2(11): 1261–1267. https://doi.
headfirst. While consuming the rodent, the snake slowly org/10.11609/JoTT.o2490.1261-7.
retreated towards the side of the road into leaf litter (Fig. Smith, M.A. (1943). Fauna of British India, Ceylon and
1), probably as a response to a large crowd of people that Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-
had gathered to watch. It completely ingested the carcass Region. Vol. 3: Serpents. Taylor and Francis, London. 583
within approximately ten minutes. During our frequent pp.
field visits to the Mollem Forest region, we have observed Whitaker, R. (1978). Common Indian Snakes: A Field Guide.
Macmillan India Ltd, New Delhi. 154 pp.
Figure 1. The hump-nosed pit viper Hypnale hypnale feeding on a
road-killed rodent, slowly retreating back into leaf litter with the
partially ingested carcass Accepted: 12 December 2024
46 Herpetological Bulletin 172 (2025)
