Guwahati: The Assam State Zoo team has documented the first confirmed instance of albinism in the Checkered Keelback (Fowlea piscator) from Assam.
The juvenile albino male, measuring 290 mm, was found near the zoo on June 1, 2024.
The finding was formally reported and published by Rupankar Bhattacharjee, Ashwini Kumar, Debabrata Phukon, Pranjal Mahananda, and Jayaditya Purkayastha in the international journal Reptiles & Amphibians, following an assessment of the snake’s morphology and scalation by the team.
Assam Forest and Environment Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary posted the news on social media on Saturday.
The snake, a non-venomous watersnake commonly found across South Asia, exhibited complete hypopigmentation due to a lack of melanin in its eyes, skin, and scales.
This condition resulted in red eyes and a pale yellowish body devoid of the species' typical dark checkered pattern.
Researchers confirmed the anomaly through comparisons with normal specimens, noting the absence of black pigmentation variations seen in similar species like the Indian Ratsnake.
Captured in a protected area near Guwahati, the specimen was photographed before being released into a secure habitat to reduce predation risks.
Albino reptiles are known to face heightened visibility in the wild.
This marks the first confirmed albino F. piscator in India, adding to previous global records from Nepal and Bangladesh.
The findings, detailed in the journal's Volume III, document the rarity of albinism in snakes and contribute to the record of genetic anomalies in Assam's biodiversity.
Experts state that such genetic anomalies provide data points regarding melanin pathways and environmental adaptations.
The zoo team encourages public reporting of similar sightings to aid monitoring.
