[Thamnophis]

Hello all,

I will be in India mid to late September on business - but I hope to have a few days to do some wildlife watching. I am particularly interested in reptiles and amphibians, especially snakes. The business part of my trip will take me to Bangalore, Pune, Delhi, Punjab and the Him foothills.

I am hoping someone could give me suggestions as to where I might best be able to see cold blooded wildlife :-)

Joe

My Iowa Herpetology Site:
http://www.herpnet.n...owa-Herpetology

[dzibead]

Hm-m.  If you were going to be in Chennai I'd suggest  the Crocodile Bank.  It might be worth it to make a side trip there, from Bangalore.  There's some sort of Wildlife Park south of Bangalore, but I don't know if it's good for herpetology.  Some of the people here with more knowledge of Bangalore will eventually be along and can tell you more.
  
  You might also check out this website, which arranges specialty tours,  including herpetology tours:
  http://www.wildlife-...ndia-tours.html
  
  If you are going to be near Kolkata, the Sundarbans would be another prime area  for someone with an interest in herpetology.

[iwanttogoback]

so i guess you're not scared of snakes then!

i find them terrifying but if ever i'm at a zoo or museum i make myself look. unfortunately i'm still scared!

i was at the perth museum the other day, looking at specimens of the seven most poisonous snakes in the world - all australian!

[dzibead]

Good snake photo on the flickr site below, taken on member Somnath's Sundarbans trip, discussed in this thread:     http://www.gourmetin...p...ic=3367&hl=

Snake photo, right side, second from bottom:
http://www.flickr.co...nathsundarbans/

[cyberhippie]

Out of Delhi; the Keoladeo National Park, at Bharatpur, some four hours away by train will very likely get you a hands on experience with pythons, if asked I'm sure a cobra viewing could be arranged at night. The bird park and surrounding area has a LOT of snakes. I've got a brown cobra skin I picked up whilst out for a stroll, there were others discarded around the area!
Fresh water snakes are also a feature, we were lead to one asleep under a bridge. Of course with the recent water problems at the park, things may have changed but we've been taken to see pythons on all of our trip into the park, once to a mating pair.
The guides at Bharatpur know their small park and if your guy don't know where the snakes are at, someone will.
Though there is fierce competition amongst guides, they pull together for the tourist!!
Geckos will be a feature all over India, Ranthambore has crocs (not too far from Bharatpur) various tree lizards are to be seen if you keep your eyes open as well!

Have fun!

[kullukid]

cyberhippie, on Jul 28 2007, 03:45 PM, said:

Geckos will be a feature all over India.

Most cheap hotel room walls in Delhi will be decorated with Gecko's!
In the foothills, in Nagar i had 2 spiders the size of dinner plates in my bathroom.......in fact it was their bathroom!
In Kashol Parvati valley you see lot's of BIG! green lizards (1-2ft long) scurrying up the outsides of buildings.   KK