New Delhi, Sept. 27 -- A snake species known as the Sistan sand boa has been scientifically recorded in India for the first time after researchers found three of them in Rajasthan's Sikar district.
The Sistan sand boa (Eryx sistanensis) is a non-venomous, thick-bodied snake found in dry areas. It was earlier known to be from Iran and Pakistan.
Researchers Vivek Sharma of Jabalpur and wildlife biologist Dharmendra Khandal of Ranthambhore-based Tiger Watch found three of these snakes during a survey in the Ramgarh-Shekhawati area of Sikar in 2025.
Their study was published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa on May 26 this year. The first snake was found inside a gaushala on August 19, 2025. Another was found in the courtyard of a house at Sunda Ki Dhani on September 12 and the third near an under-construction house at Rukansar on September 21 last year.
The researchers studied their body shape, colour and scales before identifying them as Sistan sand boas. "We knew that this snake was different, but we did not rush to publish a research paper. We first decided to understand and study it properly," Khandal said. The Sistan sand boa looks similar to the red sand boa commonly known in India. One of the easier ways to tell them apart is their tails.
The Sistan sand boa's tail gradually becomes thinner and ends in a pointed tip. The red sand boa's tail remains thick for much of its length before narrowing towards the end, according to the study.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.