Herpetofaunal Diversity of Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Herpetofaunal communities of the Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary (GWS) are diverse and poorly described. The paper gives an overview of the herpetofauna in the Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary; based on the results of survey carried out in the July to August 2013 time period. We spent 17 field days to rapidly assess the present distribution and status of the herpetofaunastic species. Data collection will be carried out by using different method like visual encounter survey, call survey for frogs & toads; active night search and road kill survey. A total of 9 species of amphibians cover the one order Anura (4 families and 9 Genus) and 37 species of reptiles include the order Crocodylia (2 families 2 Genus), order Testudines (2 families 2 Genus), order Squamata included suborder sauria (4 families 7 Genus) and suborder serpents (6 families 20 Genus) have been recorded from the study area. The most diverse herpetofaunal community occurs in Gandhisagar Dam catchment area. &nbsp