Entomology, Ornithology & Herpetology: Current Research
Open Access

Indian Rock Python Python molurus (Linnaeus 1758) Incubating in an Abandoned House in Bhadeli, Gujarat, India

Aadit Patel, Aurobindo Samal and Shreya Pandey^{* *}Correspondence: Shreya Pandey, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Brazil, Email:

Author info »

Introduction

A significant selective pressure influencing behavior is predation. Predation risk can be decreased by choosing refuges that provide reliable defense. Because of the close relationship between changes in body temperature and performance in ectotherms, the selection of microhabitats in reptiles is primarily influenced by thermal requirements. Reptiles must therefore maximise predator avoidance while decreasing thermal expenses in order to make the best use of their habitats. The capacity of individuals to choose safe and thermally appropriate shelters is a naturally selective behavior [1-6].

Urbanization and settlement expansions have been found to provide animals a place to live in urban habitats, despite the fact that it normally has a detrimental impact on wildlife. This also tends to increase the risks of interactions amongst both humans and animals and pose a significant threat. Due to their life history (limited dispersion capacity and home range) and physiological reliance on environmental factors like temperature and water availability, reptiles are typically vulnerable to habitat alteration. Therefore, compared to other vertebrates, reptiles are more vulnerable to hazards brought on by human activity.

Artificial buildings and infrastructure, which dominate urban landscape changes, can change the local microclimate, which directly affects a reptile's capacity to an age its physiological and behavioral processes. The quality of the breeding site may significantly influence reproductive efforts and breeding success in animals that actively maintain ideal conditions for offspring development. In accordance with the 2010 evaluation of the literature pertaining to the breeding biology of indian rock pythons based on the observations in captivity (Python molurus).

Herein we document an instance of an indian rock python, Python molurus incubating eggs in an artificial refuge (Figure 1) [7-10].

Figure 1: A female Indian rock python, Python molurus incubating clutch of eggs.

Description

At about 14:00 hrs on 24^th June, 2022, the first author discovered a female Indian Rock Python, Python molurus inside an abandoned house having a wooden door incubating a clutch of eggs in an abandoned house in Bhadeli (20°48'42.948''N, 73° 3'40.932''E), Gujarat, India. There could be a probable reason that this provided a safer and well thermo regulated artificial habitat amidst the human disturbances for incubating her eggs (Figure 2) [11-16].

Figure 2: Abandoned house having a wooden door providing an artificial refuge.

Conclusion

The snake was discovered by the local people. Throughout and after the documentation process the snake was left undisturbed as it was far away from human settlement place. We requested people to avoid visiting the site till the hatchlings are born and did a small awareness campaign.

Acknowledgement

We are thankful to Earth Crusaders organization for their social awareness on wildlife from grassroot level and helping in drafting of this manuscript and also thankful to Valsad Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (VSPCA) for recording this documentation.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest during the preparation of this article.

References

1. Webb JK, Pringle RM, Shine R. How do nocturnal snakes select diurnal retreat sites? Copeia. 2004;(4):919-925.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

2. Lima SL, Dill LM. Behavioral decisions made under the risk of predation: A review and prospectus. Can J Zool. 1990;68(4):619-640.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

3. Bauwens D, Castilla AM, Mouton PLFN. Field body temperatures, activity levels and opportunities for thermoregulation in an extreme microhabitat specialist, the girdled lizard (Cordylus macropholis). J Zool. 1999;249(1):11-18.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

4. Cooper Jr WE, van Wyk JH, Le FP, Mouton N. Incompletely protective refuges: Selection and associated defences by a lizard, Cordylus cordylus (Squamata: Cordylidae). Ethology. 1999;105(8):687-700.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

5. Goldsbrough CL, Hochuli DF, Shine R. Fitness benefits of retreat site selection: Spiders, rocks, and thermal cues. Ecology. 2004;85(6):1635-1641.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

6. Cooper Jr WE, Wilson DS. Thermal cost of refuge use affects refuge entry and hiding time by striped plateau lizards. Sceloporus virgatus. Herpetologica. 2008;64(4):406-412.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

7. Blouin‐Demers G, Weatherhead PJ. Habitat‐specific behavioural thermoregulation by black rat snakes (Elaphe obsoleta). Oikos. 2002;97(1):59-68.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

8. Row JR, Blouin-Demers G. Thermal quality influences habitat selection at multiple spatial scales in milksnakes. Ecoscience. 2006;13(4):443-450.

   [Google Scholar]

9. Downes S. Trading heat and food for safety: Costs of predator avoidance in a lizard. Ecology. 2001;82(10):2870-2881.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

10. Diamond J. The design of a nature reserve system for Indonesian new guinea. 1986.

    [Google Scholar]

11. Kerr JT, Deguise I. Habitat loss and the limits to endangered species recovery. Ecol Lett. 2004;7(12):1163-1169.

    [Crossref][Googlescholar]

12. Mbora DN, McPeek MA. Host density and human activities mediate increased parasite prevalence and richness in primates threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. J Anim Ecol. 2009;78(1):210-218.

    [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

13. Castellano MJ, Valone TJ. Effects of livestock removal and perennial grass recovery on the lizards of a desertified arid grassland. J Arid Environ. 2006;66(1):87-95.

    [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

14. Huey RB. Temperature, physiology, and the ecology of reptiles. In Biology of the Reptilia. 1982.

    [Google Scholar]

15. White D, Minotti PG, Barczak MJ, Sifneos JC, Freemark KE, Santelmann MV, et al. Assessing risks to biodiversity from future landscape change. Biol Conserv. 1997;11(2):349-360.

    [Crossref] [Google Scholar]

16. Ramesh C, Bhupathy S. Breeding biology of Python molurus in Keoladeo national park, Bharatpur, India. Herpetol J. 2010;20(3):157-163.

    [Google Scholar]