Lakhimpur Kheri, May 13 -- Dudhwa biologists came across yet another rare species of a snake in Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday. It was later identified as Ahaetulla longirostris or long-snouted vine snake.

The chance encounter came close on the heels of another major discovery in the reserve last week with the first confirmed report of the Condanarus Sand Snake (Psammophis condanarus) in Uttar Pradesh.

Dudhwa biologist Vipin Kapoor Sainy described the discovery as a landmark herpetological breakthrough.

He said that the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve had documented the first-ever live record of brown morph (brown-coloured skin) of Ahaetulla longirostris (long-snouted Vine Snake) in India.

The rare and cryptic species was sighted and pho...