Context:
A report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)-India has pointed out 172 incidents of seizures of red sand boa between the years 2016-2021.
About Red Sand Boa:
- Commonly called the Indian Sand Boa
- One of the most traded reptile species in the illegal trade market, due to its demand in the pet trade, as well as for use in black magic
- Non-venomous
- Location – throughout the dry parts of the Indian subcontinent
- commonly found in areas with scrublands, deserts, and rocky terrains.
- Largest of the sand boas in the world
- Unlike most snakes, the tail is almost as thick as the body and gives the reptile the appearance of being “double-headed”.
- Ovoviviparous (producing young by means of eggs which are hatched within the body of the parent)
- Nocturnal and spends the majority of its time under the ground
- IUCN classification – Near Threatened
Source: The Hindu
Previous year question
Which one of the following makes a tool with a stick to scrape insects from a hole in a tree or a log of wood?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Fishing cat
(b) Orangutan
(c) Otter
(d) Sloth bear
Answer: b
