India, Feb. 5 -- King cobras are increasingly being found in railway stations and trains on in their vicinity in Goa, prompting conservation concerns.

According to a new study published in the journal Biotropica, Ophiophagus kaalinga, the vulnerable king cobra species endemic to the Western Ghats, was caught aboard many trains in Goa on multiple occasions.

These findings prompted the researchers to initiate a study to understand their presence in unsuitable reptile habitats.

Dikansh Parmar, lead author of the study, said that a snake rescue with a local animal rescue group at Chandor railway station in July 2023 made him curious about the presence of king cobras in unsuitable and unexpected habitats. "Interactions with locals and other...