Despite the abundance and diversity of river turtles, we sometimes lose sigh of or ignore the existence of these tiny toddlers. Most of us forget their major role in maintaining the ecological balance and their economic importance.

The fresh water turtles are termed as “Vultures in water” because these turtles mainly feeds on the dead animals and fishes in the pond or river to maintain the water clean. Especially the Ganges soft shell and Indian flapshell feed upon the animal carcasses and half-burnt human corpses in River Ganges, where most of the corpses were thrown off…

These turtles are broadly grouped as “hard shells” or “soft shells“. The soft-shell turtles possess elongated snout extended up to a fleshy tube-like proboscis, which consists of nostrils at its tip.

Hard shelled turtles are having a retractile neck and horny shell. The Indian Black turtle is the most commonest hardshell turtle. These turtles are widespread in India. Another hardshell turtle called- Indian Roofted turtle ( It is called so because it is having elevated tent-like carapace) is found in Indus, Brahmaputra and Ganges river system.

As these turtles are having economic importance, these are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972). Despite the stringent rules they’re facing challenges due to over exploitation and deforestation. If you are keen on wildlife conservation, immediately protect the turtles in the river and also ponds…

A Green sea turtle of 2years old was rescued by Sea Turtle Inc. This sea turtle lost three of her flippers and had little chance of survival. This was named as “ALLISON“, which is five-inch in length.

Sea turtles can grow to 450 pounds and live for around 100 years. So animal shelter gave prompt treatment for this sea turtle. Now she managed to swim with single flipper. But reintroducing into the sea is questionable as it may be injured by other aquatic faunas and also would be confined to shallow waters for the rest of her life.

Caregivers at Sea Turtle Inc. are now thinking to fit three prosthetic flippers before getting into sea. This prosthetic flippers would be of silicon, which is being used for implants in humans.

A team of physicians from UT Dental Branch and University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have arrived to help Allison get back to its home. They are studying the pros and cons of using silicone in sea water to confirm that it does not dissolve. Hope they will succeed to end the longing for the sea of Allison.

It is not correct to assume that bites from harmful snakes are invariably fatal. Hospital case histories with definite identification of the biting snake show that in about half the cases there is little or no effect of the poison. This is understandable, considering the fact that snake bite on man is a purely defensive reaction.

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Today I came to know about an interesting behavioral pattern of the California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi) and rock squirrels (Spermophilus variegates).

Actually young squirrels are the favorite dish for rattlesnakes. In order to suppress their odor from rattlesnakes, these tiny creatures chew on old snake skin and smear it on their fur. This behavioral pattern was noticed by Barbara Clucas, a graduate student in animal behavior at the University of California, Davis.

This act of application of sloughed-off snake skin is considered to be a perfect defensive package of squirrels against rattlesnakes. The snakes get persuaded that another snake, not squirrel, is in the area.

Rattlers and other snakes usually prey the pups (Squirrel young one) and females while they fall asleep in the night. Mostly the adult squirrel won’t get affected by the snake poison as the blood proteins of them contains immunity against snake venom.

Another study confirms that squirrels are not only limited to the use of snake skin, they get used to take the snake odor from surfaces (tree branches, tree hole, etc) and soil, where the snakes have been resting.

So, the squirrels are turning the tables on the snakes. How wise they are…

Many species of animals have the capacity to produce venom. The venom has a passive defensive function in frogs, toads and salamanders, in which the venom glands are distributed in the skin. The venom reaches the highest development in snakes and is a weapon for capturing prey, for defense and also a digestive aid.

The venom glands are actually specialized salivary organs and inoculation of the venom is through the canalized or grooved teeth. The salivary secretion of the harmless snakes is equally effective against their prey species. The venom not only immobilizes the prey but aids the subsequent digestion of animal tissues. snake venom is a mixture, chiefly of proteins, varying in composition from species to species. Studies so far undertaken indicate that the biological significance of snake venom is primarily in their digestive role.

Snakes cannot chew and mix the products of their salivary glands with the tissues of their prey. Instead, they use a highly developed injection apparatus to apply digestive aids to their food.

These powerful and concentrated enzymes are extremely poisonous. For instance, the lethal dose of Russel’s viper venom for a rabbit in the body, compounds in the poison break down the connective tissues and destroy blood vessels, causing the spread of erythrocytes and serum into the tissues.

Necrosis at the site of a bite is due to the digestive properties of snake venom. A non-toxic component of the snake venom, not always present, liberates proteolytic enzymes into the victim’s body and hastens putrefaction.

I have visited a zoo as a undergraduate veterinary student as a volunteer. I searched the tongue of the basking crocodile. I asked the zoo vet about the missing tongue of the crocodile. He laughed and explained about the crocodile tongue.

Generally mouth of the crocodile makes up 15% of its body length. All the crocodiles are having a long thin forked tongue, but fused at the bottom of its mouth. So we can’t either see the tongue while it is basking or opening its mouth to capture its prey.

Length of the Crocodile Tongue

I measured the length of the tongue while performing postmortem of the same as a Zoo vet after my graduation. The length of the crocodile tongue is more or less 300-350 cms (this is a measurement of a crocodile of a 3 meters in length).

Additional Facts

The crocodile possess salt glands on their tongue, which is a modified salivary glands. The main purpose of this gland is to secrete excess salt from its body. Thats why salt water crocodile can spend weeks together in salt water.

As bottom line, I would like to conclude that this massive creature cannot stick out the tongue.

Recently a new species of Spitting Cobra was discovered in Kenya. Usually this cobra was found in the dry lowlands of northern and eastern Kenya, north-eastern Uganda, southern Ethiopia and southern Somalia. This discovery made the number of species of Spitting Cobra in South Africa as six.

“But the most common area you can find this species is along the Kenyan coast,”- was the statement given by the renowned Herpatologist- Royjan Taylor, who manages the Bio-Ken snake farm.

This Cobra is considered to be a largest poisonous snake as it overtakes its poisonous ability of King Cobra. This snake will able to produce 6.2ml of liquid venom in a single milking, which can kill 20 people at a time.

Giant Spitting Cobra grows to a maximum of two meters, with an average of 1.5 meters, Herpetologist Wolfgang Wuster and Donald Bradley said, making the new species the largest in the world.

This discovery is considered to be a best in this century. Most of the cryptozoologists admired this discovery.

With regard to this new discovery, World-renowned conservationist Richard Leakey, has said: “There have to be many other unreported species.” Yes it is true!!! What do you think? Stamp your views…

Have you ever seen Malabar Gliding Frog? I have seen once in my lifetime. I came across this attracting frog once I have visited Ponmudi hills in Kerala.

They can glide slantingly from a tree over a distance of 10 meters. When jumping/gliding the webs of all four limbs are fully extended. The frogs naturally like humid surroundings but do not tolerate water.

In captivity during the day the frogs usually rested on the leaves with their legs gathered together and body flattened, with the forefeet folded underneath their body, and pupils, contracted to tiny slits. This posture and their leaf green color render them almost invisible among the leaves.

The frog fed on houseflies at night in captivity.

Breeding

Breeding coincides with south-west monsoon. A large group of frogs was observed calling in Goa forests, all sitting on bamboo shoots. The call can be syllabised as ‘tak-tak-tarrik’. The amplexus was axillary, the male holding the female at her armpit. Foam nests were attached to vegetation some meters above the pool.

Tadpoles olive in color closely dotted with dark brown on the body and lighter on the tail; Length of body 16mm, length of tail 26 mm. The toes are nearly entirely webbed. The tadpoles are carnivores.

The majority of reptiles are useful and do silent service to man in controlling agricultural pests, both insects and rodents, but excite little interest in man. If it were not for the poisonous snakes, reptiles as a group would be largely ignored.

The greatest danger to this useful group of animals (?) is for demand for their skin for commercial purposes.

Malcolm Smith drew attention over sixty years ago to the danger of extinction facing many reptile species due to this cause.

The skin trade has made Indian Crocodiles endangered, and the demand for snake and lizard skins remains a constant threat to the survival of such useful reptiles as the monitor lizard and rat snake.