Large-Scaled Pit Viper: One of the most elegant species in the viper family, found only in the high-altitude mountain ranges and Shola forests of Southern Western Ghats. Unlike many other snakes, pit vipers have a special ability to sense body heat of a prey or an enemy, which makes them a highly efficient night hunter

Common Vine Snake: The Masters of Camouflage! there is no other description that can be given to this stunning reptile group. The slim, green body can be easily confused with a branch or a plant vine. Almost 10 species of vine snakes are found in Western Ghats, and are separated by geographical and climatic features

Anamala Wood Snake: This species is a very recent discovery of science. Found only in the Anamala hills, the Anamala Wood Snake got recently discovered in 2020. Being a ‘wood snake’, it is rare to catch a glimpse of this snake on ground in Munnar

Travancore Pit Viper: A field visit deep into the evergreen forests of Western Ghats is incomplete without a sight of this amazing serpent. Commonly found near montane streams, they can sit in the same location for days or weeks, waiting for their prey to come!  And if you continue searching, you might get surprised to see a different individual with an entirely different body colour

Shield-Tailed Snake: Many of us might have seen snakes going inside a hole in the ground, but can you imagine a snake living inside the ground for most of their life? This elusive group of snakes comprises over 50 species and are evolved to move and hunt inside the soil. One can see them out during heavy rains, if they are lucky enough

These stunning photographs have been clicked by Abhijith Vijay from Kerala. He is a researcher in Herpetology, the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles. He likes to capture wildlife for research work and intends to create awareness about them through his photographs. He is currently working in Wildlife Trust of India’s Amphibian Recovery Project.