Schokari Sand Racer

Schokari Sand Racer Latest News

A routine forest patrol in Gujarat’s Kutch recently led to an unusual wildlife discovery: an elusive snake named Schokari Sand Racer that had not been conclusively recorded in the region for more than 150 years.

About Schokari Sand Racer

• The Schokari Sand Racer, also known as the Afro-Asian sand snake, is an extremely fast diurnal snake well adapted to arid and desert environments.  
• It is mildly venomous but generally poses little danger to people and feeds on small animals, including lizards and rodents. 
• Scientific Name: Psammophis schokari  

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Schokari Sand Racer Habitat and Distribution

• It inhabits desert regions with sparse vegetation, especially sand deserts, wadis, and oasis margins.
• Its distribution stretches from North Africa (Libya, Egypt) across the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East to Pakistan, including southern Turkmenistan and northwestern India. 
• From India, it has been reported only from the deserts of Rajasthan and Kutch of Gujarat. 

Schokari Sand Racer Features

• It is a medium-sized snake, typically about 100 to 120 cm long.
• The body is long, slender, smooth, and glossy. 
• It has an elongated head and large eyes adapted for active daytime hunting. 
• The coloration is highly variable, usually sandy, olive, or grey-brown with longitudinal dark stripes running along the body. 
• The belly is pale, and the scales are smooth, giving the snake a sleek appearance. 

Schokari Sand Racer Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘Least Concern‘ under the IUCN Red List.

News: IT