Vol. 5, Issue 1, Part A (2023)

A comprehensive assessment of the Korapuzha Estuary's herpetofauna species diversity was done from September 2018 to September 2019. Amphibians and reptiles were spotted along a terrestrial stretch using active searching; call survey; road-kill analysis and direct observation (opportunistic spotting). The findings reveal 16 species of reptiles from 11 families and 1 amphibian. The Indian Skipper Frog is the sole amphibian that has been identified. 4 species of the order Testudines and 12 species of the order Squamata were identified among all the reptiles. The Common Indian Monitor, garden lizard, Indian Cobra, Oriental Ratsnake, and Indian Black Turtle, were the most frequently seen reptiles. The banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) was recorded for the first time in Kerala's marshes. Pelochelys cantorii (Cantor's Giant Softshell), a species of reptile fauna, is listed on IUCN redlist as a critically endangered species. The frequency of herpetofauna is significantly limited owing to the region's close vicinity to the ocean, which prevents taxa from dispersing despite the fact that these organisms are difficult to locate due to their paradoxical activities.