Templeton's Kukri Snake
Oligodon calamarius
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusOligodon (Kukri Snakes)
- SpeciesOligodon calamarius (Templeton's Kukri Snake)
About the Templeton's Kukri Snake
Oligodon calamarius is a species of nonvenomous colubrid endemic to Sri Lanka. It is known as කබර දත්-කැටියා (kabara dath ketiya) in Sinhala. Oligodon templetoni, now a junior synonym of Oligodon calamarius, was named in honour of Irish naturalist Dr. Robert Templeton who obtained the first known specimen.
O. calamarius is a terrestrial snake from lowlands of the wet zone, reaching montane limits, up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft). The head is short, scarcely distinct from the neck. The pupil of the eye is round. The dorsum is light brown with a light vertebral stripe. There are 18–24 narrow dark brown, light-edged cross-bands that are either complete or half-way cross the back. The venter is cream, with square black markings. The forehead has a dark crescentric marking and an elongated spot behind it.
O. calamarius is known from Udugama in the Southern Province, Hewissa and Mathugama in the Western Province, Ratnapura and Balangoda in the Sabaragamuwa Province, and Peradeniya in Central Province. Boulenger, George A. (1890). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Templeton's Kukri Snake in Sinharaja Forest Reserve
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Templeton's Kukri Snake in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Templeton's Kukri Snake sighting in Sinharaja Forest Reserve, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Templeton's Kukri Snake in Sinharaja Forest Reserve?
March has the highest sighting rate for Templeton's Kukri Snake in Sinharaja Forest Reserve in our monthly data.