Meerut, March 31 -- The rare long-snouted vine snake (Ahaetulla longirostris) was sighted in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) on Saturday, marking its supposedly first-ever recorded appearance in Uttar Pradesh and only the second confirmed occurrence in India.

Previously documented just once in Bihar, this green serpent's unexpected appearance in the Palia Kheri division of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve has spotlighted Dudhwa's rich biodiversity and the critical need to protect its fragile ecosystems.

According to forest department officials, the snake was found during a routine rhino release operation in the Kakraha Rhino Reintroduction Area-1, South Sonaripur, within Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. As a precaution, a team was clearing a termite mound near...