Green cat snake lays eggs

An endangered green cat snake, sheltered at Bangladesh Bonyo Prani Sheba Foundation in Sreemangal upazila of the district, laid four eggs there on Monday, much to the enthusiasm of foundation officials as well as locals.

"It's very rewarding that our efforts bore fruits. Experts are providing special care to the snake family to ensure safe hatching of the eggs. We are keeping watchful eyes," said Swapan Deb Sajal, director of the wildlife care foundation.

"The snake with its eggs is doing fine. If hatched, they can become valuable breeders of the endangered species in future," he said.

After hearing the news of laying eggs by the snake, many people are thronging the zoo. As some people were leaning forward to get a better look at the eggs, the mother cautiously guarded the eggs.

"The snake was rescued from Shishirbari area in Sreemangal upazila one month ago when it could hardly move. The zoo officials took special care of the snake and provided it proper treatment," Swapan said.

As the zoo director with this correspondent approached near the cage of the snake, it was seen nuzzling the eggs.

"This is the first incident of laying of eggs by a snake in our zoo," he said.

The snake nurtures the eggs with great care, showing motherly affection, said Rajdip Deb Dip, an animal keeper at the zoo.

"These snakes feed mainly on lizards. Besides, they take frogs, birds, rodents and other snakes and have a unique way of capturing their prey," said Tabibur Rahman, former assistant conservator of wildlife at the forest department in Moulvibazar.

Its family identity is colubridae, scientific name Boiga Cyanea and Bangla name Sobuj Fonimonosha. .

The hatchlings are usually 35-cm-long.

It grows up to 1.86m. The dorsal surface is green or greenish and ventral surface is pale greenish or yellowish. The young ones are brownish or reddish often with green head, which is distinctly broader than the neck.

Large shield-like scales at top of the head helps one to distinguish it from pit viper, which have small granular scales.

Green cat snake is a nocturnal creature and lives mostly in bushes  and trees.

Usually solitary, it spends the day time in shady and dark area.

The mildly venomous snake breeds during March to June and lays four to ten eggs that hatch within 80 to 90 days, Tabibur Rahman said.