Harry Potter Snake in Kaziranga National Park Assam

10 Jul, 2024

Discovery of Salazar Pit Viper, Harry Potter Snake at Kaziranga National Park, Assam

An exciting news for Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India as its flourishing wildlife never stops to discover something every day. A new reptile variety of venomous snake, Salazar Pit Viper was recently discovered in the Kaziranga region and snapshots of the reptile were shared on social media.

Discovery of Harry Potter Snake, Salazar Pit Viper in Kaziranga National Park

Mostly made up of grasslands and water features, the Kaziranga National Park in Northeast India is recognized as one of India's most important wildlife tourism sites and is included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The popular "Harry Potter" series' Salazar Slytherin is the inspiration for the newly found Salazar Pit Viper, which was discovered in the park highway zone. As different seasons come and go, every year new species are introduced and found in the park.

The Salazar Pit Viper (Trimeresurus Lacepede) is a newly found species of Kaziranga with a vibrant green body and red-orange stripes on its head. At first, the species was seen in Arunachal Pradesh and researchers named it as Salazar’s pit viper because of its resemblance to the Salazar Slytherin. In a little over a year, the new species is believed to be the fifth variation of reptiles found in the northeastern state.

Emphasis on Social Media

Himanta Biswa Sarma, the state chief minister, posted pictures of the poisonous snake on social media with the caption, “Guess what, kids? Kaziranga just found a real-life Harry Potter snake! Meet the super cool Salazar Pit Viper: it's green like magic and has a funky red-orange stripe on its head. Isn't nature awesome? The caption highlights the beauty of nature and the increase of reptile species in the Kaziranga region.

Very quickly the post went viral and users from different parts of the world are praising the stunning wildlife of Assam.

About Kaziranga’s Wildlife in Assam

With its varied combination of grasslands, marshes, floodplains, and steep terrains, the 1,307 square kilometre Kaziranga National Park is an ideal habitat for a wide variety of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Numerous species can be found at the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve and recently the discovery of a new species, Salazar Pit Viper, have been added to the list of the reptile section.

The park's tremendous biodiversity is increased annually by the discovery of new species, making it an excellent location to see wildlife. According to the last report, 24 amphibian species and 74 reptile species were known to call Kaziranga home.