Abstract

ZUNIGA-BAOS, Jorge Alberto. Mortality of snakes in the urban area of the Neira municipality, Caldas, Colombia. rev. colombiana cienc. anim. Recia [online]. 2023, vol.15, n.1, e02.  Epub Feb 19, 2024. ISSN 2027-4297.  https://doi.org/10.24188/recia.v15.n1.2023.968.

Between April 1, 2022 and September 30, 2022, random walks were carried out on the roads of the urban area of the municipality of Neira, department of Caldas, Colombia, with the objective of identifying individuals of snakes killed by run over or by direct human actions. A total of 36 individuals were recorded, belonging to 11 species and 2 families, Colubridae being the most representative (12 spp.). The most run over/dead species were Atractus biseriatus and Atractus lehmanni. These records increase the knowledge of the specific richness of the municipality in 8 more species and the presence of Atractus titanicus stands out, which fills a geographic gap between the previously reported localities. Finally, these results show a strong problem in urban areas, where snake populations are likely to be declining, for which it is evidently necessary that government, environmental and educational entities prioritize environmental education campaigns that allow establishing strategies aimed at the conservation of these species of fauna.

Keywords : Andean region; colubrid snakes; environmental education; population decline; reptiles; roads.

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