📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Solmaz Daryani
Science
Three Sistan Sand Boas Spotted in Sikar, Marking India's First Record of the Species
✍️ indiatoday.in
🗓 27 Sep 2026, 08:01 PM
👁 11
Three individuals of the Sistan sand boa, a species previously unrecorded in India, were discovered in Sikar district of Rajasthan, confirming the species' first presence in the country.
Wildlife officials in Rajasthan's Sikar district reported the capture of three Sistan sand boas, marking the first confirmed occurrence of the species within Indian borders. The specimens were found during routine surveys of the arid scrubland that characterises the region.
The Sistan sand boa (Eryx sistanensis) is native to the dry habitats of Iran, Pakistan and parts of Central Asia. It is a non‑venomous, burrowing snake that prefers loose, sandy soils where it can hunt small lizards and rodents.
Its discovery in Sikar expands the known distribution of the species and underscores the ecological connectivity of the Thar‑like landscapes that stretch across the subcontinent's western frontier. Researchers plan targeted herpetological surveys in neighboring districts to assess whether the boa has established a broader population.
Conservationists note that the finding highlights the need for habitat protection in Rajasthan's semi‑desert zones, which support a range of specialised fauna. Ongoing monitoring will help determine the species' status and any potential threats it may face in its new Indian range.
The Sistan sand boa (Eryx sistanensis) is native to the dry habitats of Iran, Pakistan and parts of Central Asia. It is a non‑venomous, burrowing snake that prefers loose, sandy soils where it can hunt small lizards and rodents.
Its discovery in Sikar expands the known distribution of the species and underscores the ecological connectivity of the Thar‑like landscapes that stretch across the subcontinent's western frontier. Researchers plan targeted herpetological surveys in neighboring districts to assess whether the boa has established a broader population.
Conservationists note that the finding highlights the need for habitat protection in Rajasthan's semi‑desert zones, which support a range of specialised fauna. Ongoing monitoring will help determine the species' status and any potential threats it may face in its new Indian range.