Research Journal of Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences ___________________________ ISSN 2320 – 6535   Vol. 1(4), 15-17, May (2013) Res. J. Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sci. International Science Congress Association        
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Short Communication Road kills of Reptiles in the region of Khed Tahsil, Pune, MS,  Northern Western Ghats, IndiaGhadage M.K. JJT University, Rajasthan, IndiaAvailable online at: 
www.isca.in
Received 27th March 2013, revised 9th April 2013, accepted 16th May 2013Abstract Very few studies on Herpetological Road mortality have been conducted in India which is related to amphibians only. There are several studies outside the India on road kills of reptiles. During the different seasons reptiles can be seen dead on roads. The present study, we collected the reptiles representing 8 species in Khed Tehsil from different regional type like Industrial, Agricultural, water bodies and forest regions. We select the road which shows a similar habitat pattern of other areas of Khed tehsil. No observation of road kill was made between months of August, but two distinctive peaks in road kills were seen in June- July and September- October. The threatened status is more in agricultural and forest areas of Khed Tahasil, Pune (MS), India. Keywords: Herpetological, Reptiles, road kills, distinctive peaks, Khed Tahsil, threaten.Introduction Western Ghats is a one of the ‘Hotspot’ of Biodiversity. Khed Tahsil is part of Northern Western Ghats, in which the reptiles are widely distributed in different landscapes, land or water. Their role in ecology is also impermanent. Roads are one of the barriers for dispersal of Reptiles. There are several Herpetological studies outside the India on impacts of road kills of reptiles and there density, while in India few researches on road kills in Herpetology especially with reference to amphibians, in the observations most of the reptiles are snakes, each Reptile that is killed, whether by accident or deliberately, reduce genetic diversity, decreases the potential for dispersal in fragmented habitat, diminishes the potential for reproduction and lowers the overall population size. The aim of this study was to document the diversity of species affected by road killed, the relative abundance of species being affected. Material and Methods To create a bibliography of literature addressing to the ecological effects of road and traffic on reptiles, direct effects are considered to involve injury or mortality occurring during road construction (e.g., inadvertent burial or death from blasting) or subsequent physical contact with vehicles. Indirect effect include habitat loss, fragmentation and alteration (changes in temperature, moisture, light, noise, pollutant or quality of available habitat) such changes may influence the behavior, survival, growth and reproductive success of individual animals. The road kills effects may be especially problematic when they affect sensitive, threatened or endangered species or interface with important ecosystem processes. The Khed Tahsil Pune (MS) is situated at 180 51’ N and 730 56’ E in this region of Northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India. The region receives maximum amount of rainfall (1200-1300 mm), winter temperature about 5o C to 6o C and summer temperature about 320 C to 380 C for the year during May to December.  In the present study, we select four different regions of Khed Tahsil; Industrial, agricultural, water bodies and forest. We select the road from Chakan to Waki turfe Wada the distance about 23 km. The road segment predominated on either side with industrial area up to Shinde Wasuli MIDC, Chakan; agricultural area up to Askhed; forest area up to Karanjvihire and Water bodies up to Waki tarfe wada. The road passing through four land uses was sampled for killed reptiles on road from May 2012 to December 2012. We preferred to carry out sampling and photography during early mornings and late evening seems to extrinsic factor controlling the timing of reproductive activity of sampling. There is collection and identification of species from these different areas by standard literatures7-10. Number of reptile kills per kilometer is expressed as encounter rate. We are taken the photographs of road kills dead individual species11,12. Results and Discussion The present study resulted that the Reptiles belonging to single order, five Families, eight genera were recorded in the survey (table 1). The calotes (Colotus versicolor) is observed in Agamidae; wolf snake (Lycodon aulicus), trinkate Coelognathus helinus), grass snake (Macropisthodon plumbicolor) and cat snake (Boiga trigonata) belongs to family Colubridae; russe viper (Daboia russelii) belons to family Viperidae; common crait (Bungarus caeruleus) belongs to Elapidae family and earth boa (Erix whitakeri) belongs to Boidae family (figure-1). The result shows conservation status and Encounter rate of road killed Reptiles. The Road kills occurs in different habitat of Khed Tahsil, Pune (MS), India 
Research Journal of Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences ________________________________________ ISSN 2320 – 6535  Vol. 1(4), 15-17, May (2013)                    Res. J. Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sci.   International Science Congress Association 
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(table 2). The seasonal habitat required of amphibians and reptiles; there for the distribution of resources across the landscape relative to roads can influence mortality. These resources are associated with refuge, mates and prey that tend to be concentrated in distinct habitats that are patchily distributed. Conclusion The present study concluded that the reptile fauna of majorly threatened at agricultural and forest areas (figure 2). When the roads fragment, such habitats the probability that individuals will be killed or injured by traffic during movements in search of resources, increases as does the resistance of the landscape to such movements. The present study shows, the habitat of reptiles around the roads is the part of their ecology. For the maintenance of biodiversity of reptiles fauna and increase the genetic diversity of reptiles there is need to develop a proper barrier system outside the road during construction. Table-1 Different species of Road kills reptiles observed during May to December 2013 Road kills of Reptiles May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total 
Colotus versicolor 1 1 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 2 
Lycodon aulicus Nil Nil Nil Nil 1 1 Nil Nil 2 
Coelognathus helinus Nil Nil Nil Nil 1 Nil Nil Nil 1 
Daboia russelii Nil 1 1 Nil Nil Nil Nil 1 3 
Macropisthodon plumbicolor Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 3 Nil 1 4 
Bungarus caeruleus Nil 1 Nil Nil 1 Nil Nil Nil 2 
Erix whitakeri (Das) Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 1 Nil 1 
Boiga trigonata 1 Nil 1 Nil Nil Nil Nil 1 3 
Figure-1  Graph showing family distribution of road kill reptiles observed in Khed Tahasil Table-2 Road kills in different regions of different habitats in Khed Tahsil during the year 2012 Road kills of Reptiles Habitats of Reptiles (Road kills regions) 
Industrial Agriculture Forest Water bodies 
Colotus versicolor 0 2 0 1 
Lycodon  Aulicus 1 1 0 0 
Coelognathus helinus 0 0 1 0 
Daboia  russelii 0 1 1 0 
Macropisthodon plumbicolor 0 1 2 1 
Bungarus caeruleus 0 0 2 0 
Erix whitakeri (Das)0 1 0 0 
Boiga trigonata 1 1 1 0 
Research Journal of Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences ________________________________________ ISSN 2320 – 6535  Vol. 1(4), 15-17, May (2013)                    Res. J. Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sci.   International Science Congress Association 
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Figure-2 Graph showing the threatened status of different habitats in Khed Tahsil, Pune (MS), India Acknowledgement Author is thankful to Chairmen, Secretary K.T.S.P. Mandal’s, Principal of Hutatma Rajguru Mahavidyalaya, Rajgurunagar, Dr. S. B. Patil Head, Department of Zoology, Hutatma Rajguru Mahavidyalaya, Rajgurunagar, Authorities of Pune University, Pune, JJT University, Rajasthan and UGC for providing and necessary laboratory, facilities and financial assistance to complete this research work. References1.Daniel J.C., The Book Indian Reptiles, Bombay natural History Society/oxford University Press, Bombay (2004)2.Patil S.B., Ghadage M.K. and Theurkar  S.V., Changes in habit and habitat of poisonous, semi poisonous and non-poisonous snakes found in and around Bhimashankar National Park Dist. Pune, Maharashtra, India,Applied Research and Development Institute Journal, 3(6), 67-72 (2012)3.Kadaba Shamanna seshadri, Amit Yadav and Kotamblu Vasudeva Gururaja, Road kills of amphibians in different areas from shatavathi river basin ,central Western Ghats, India, Journal of Threatened Taxa.,  1(11), 549-552 (2009)4.Vijaykumar  S.P., Vasudevan  K. and Ishwar  N.M., Herpetofaunal mortality on roads in Annamalai Hills, southern Western  Ghats, Hamadryad, 26(2), 253-260(2001)5.Jason D. Gibson and Merkle D.A., Road Mortality of snakes in central Virginia, Banisteria,  24, 8-14 (2004)6.Denim Jochimsen, Peterson, Andrews and Gibbons, A Literature Review of the Effects of Road Amphibians and Reptiles and the Measures Used to Minimize Those Effects, Inaho Fish and  Game Department USDA Forest Service Final draft (2004)7.Smith M.A., The fauna of British, India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of Indochinese sub region             reptilian and Amphibian Vol-I, Loricta, testacies. Taylor Francis, London Pp-ixxviii+1-185 (1993)8.Smith M.A., The fauna of British, India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of Indochinese sub region reptilian and Amphibian Vol-I, Loricta, testacies, Taylor Francis, London Pp-ixxviii+1-185 (1993)9.Smith M.A., The fauna of British, India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of Indochinese  sub region reptilian and Amphibian Vol-III, Serpentes, testacies. Taylor Francis, London Pp-ixii+1-583 (1993)10.Smith M.A., The fauna of British, India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of   Indochinese sub region reptilian and Amphibian Vol-II, Sauria, testacies, Taylor Francis, London Pp-ixiii+1-440 (1995)11.Murthy T.S.N., D.P. Sanyal and B. Dasgupta. Rare snakes of India, The Snake 25, 135-140 (1993)12.Captain A., Tillack F., Gumprecht A. and Dandge P., First record of Elachistodon westermanni Reinhadt 1863 (Serpents,Colubridae,Colubrinae) from Maharashtra state, India, Russian Journal of Herpetology, 12(2), 121-123 (2005)