An annotated checklist of the herpetofauna of the Rashtrapati Bhawan Estates, New Delhi, India

Abstract

Rashtrapati Bhavan Estates is a large semi-natural area comprising significant patches of secondary forest, cultivation, wetlands and parks in the heart of Delhi, the capital city of India. An inventory of herpetofauna was undertaken from May 15 to July 31, 2015, which revealed four species of amphibians and eight of reptiles. One reptilian species—Striped Keelback—was a new record for the Delhi region. In addition, secondary records of the presence of five snake species were obtained. Given the paucity of published data on natural history of the national capital, this annotated species checklist assumes importance and will be of use for urban planning and conservation.

Keywords

• amphibians
• biodiversity
• capital
• city
• reptiles
• urban ecology.