A rapid assessment of herpetofaunal diversity and mortality along a railway track in Northern Western Ghats, India

Herpetofaunal mortality on railway

Abstract

We conducted a herpetofaunal survey along a 17 km stretch of railway track passing through the Kali Tiger Reserve in Karnataka State. Over a period of 13 days, we documented 48 species, representing around 43% of the known herpetofaunal diversity of the northern Western Ghats. Among the recorded diversity, 21 species are endemic and one additional species has been added to the faunal list as a new record for the state. Vulnerability of the herpetofauna is depicted and discussed in the light of the proposed double lane of the railway track and the need for future ecological research is emphasized.