Author: Snake Helpline

Venomous (Haemotoxic)
Common Name: Saw-scaled viper 
Odia Name: ଧୂଳିଆ ବୋଡା
Zoological Name: Echis carinatus
Family: Viperidae
WL(P)A – Schedule – II

Short & stout body. Scales strongly keeled, rough in appearance. Light, dark brown, brick-red, grey or sand-coloured with zigzag patterns on back. Top of head has usually distinct, arrow-head mark. When alarmed, inflates lung and rubs saw-edged scales together to make a rasping sound.

Look-alikes: Common Cat Snake
Common Sand Boa
Russell’s Kukri Snake

Venomous (Neurotoxic)
Common Name: Banded Krait 
Odia Name: ରଣା
Zoological Name: Bungarus fasciatus
Family: Elapidae
WL(P)A – Schedule – II

Smooth-scaled. Short tail with blunt & rounded tip. Body and tail triangular in cross-section;vertebral ridge prominent.Equally spaced, wide yellow and black bands. Mid-dorsal scale hexagonal (6 sided). Often confused with Banded kukri snakes and many wolf snakes. A nocturnal snake.

Newly hatched snakes have whitish and black bands.

Look-alikes: Banded kukri

Venomous (Neurotoxic)
Common Name: King Cobra 
Odia Name: ଅହିରାଜ
Zoological Name: Ophiophagus hannah
Family: Elapidae
WL(P)A – Schedule – I

Smooth-scaled.Grey, black, dark olive green or yellowish-brown,usually with white or yellowish cross-bands.Hood longer and narrower than that of the other cobras.Bands (if present) on hood and fore body are ‘Ʌ’ shaped. Often confused with bigger rat snakes.

Look-alikes: Indian Rat Snake

Venomous (Haemotoxic)
Common Name: Bamboo pit viper 
Odia Name: ଡାଳୁଆ ବୋଡା
Zoological Name: Trimeresurus gramineus
Family: Viperidae
WL(P)A – Schedule – II

Triangular head distinctly broader than neck. Eye has vertical pupil. Heat sensitive pit between nostril and eye. Usually grass green above. occasionally yellow or olive brown, sometimes with a usually faint, blackish-brown, uneven pattern. Lip scales and underside yellow, white or pale green.

Look-alikes: Green keelback snake
Green vine snake

Venomous
Common Name: RED-NECKED KEELBACK 
Odia Name: ନାଲି-ବେକିଆ ଧଣ୍ଡ
Zoological Name: Rhabdophis subminiatus
Family: Colubridae
WL(P)A – Schedule – II

Scales strongly keeled. Head and front of neck olive brown, sometimes followed by backward-pointing yellow band behind which is bright red interscale colour of neck and forebody: rest of body and tail greyish-olive with faint black and yellow markings.

Look-alikes: Checkered keelback