10 Species of Venomous Krait Snakes Found in India

Kraits are the species of highly venomous snake and member of the Indian big four snake species. There are 10 species found in main Peninsular India and range comprises a wide variety of habitats from mangrove to inside houses.

Common Krait – करैत

Common Krait also known as Indian krait is a highly venomous species of snake found in India, a member of the big four Indian snake species and responsible for 2nd most snake bites in India. The common kraits are nocturnal and feeds primarily on lizards, frogs and also other snakes.

Banded Krait – अहिराज सांप ! धारीदार करैत

Banded Krait is the largest species of all kraits found in India and in Southeast Asia, The alternate black and yellow crossbands on banded krait looks beautiful and are mainly nocturnal. Like other species of snakes the banded krait feeds mainly on other snakes and lizards. अहिराज सांप दुनिया का बहुत ही जहरीला सांप होता है. अंग्रेजी मे बैण्डेड क्रेट कहते हैं. छत्तीसगढ़ में अहिराज कहा जाता है

Andaman Krait

South Andaman krait is another most venomous elapid snake from the Islands of Andaman and endemic to the Islands. The glossy black or brownish krait (Bungarus andamanensi) listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Northeastern Hill Krait

Northeastern Hill Krait (Bungarus bungaroides) found mostly in Northeastern states of Assam, Sikkim and Meghalaya. Bungarus bungaroides is the newest species of krait discovered and also been repoted from Tibet, Vietnam, Nepal and Myanmar.

Burmeese Krait

Burmeese Krait also known as spotted krait is endemic to its distribution and habitat, mostly in and around divisions of Myanmar but also found in northeastern parts of India. Like other species of krait, Burmese kraits are also nocturnal in nature and dangerous to human.

Sind Krait

Bungarus sindanus or Sind krait can be confused with the common krait of India, also found in Iran, Bangladesh and Nepal. The Sind krait recorded from the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Wall’s Krait

Wall’s Krait (Bungarus walli) species is extremely rare, mostly reported from the Indian states of Maharashtra and West Bengal. Like other species of kraits found in India, this snake is also a highly venomous species of krait snake.

Greater Black Krait – काला करैत

Greater Black Krait (Bungarus niger) also known as big black krait is endemic to South Asia and found in Northeast and North Indian states of Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The species is also nocturnal and terrestrial snake that inhabits a wide range of habitats from mangrove, swamps to forest and Himalayan foothills.

Lesser Black Krait

Lesser Black Krait (Bungarus lividus) found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and from the family of Elapids. This mysterious snake is different from greater black krait and only found in Northeastern region of the Indian subcontinent.

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait has very potent neurotoxic venom but are not aggressive as the land kraits are, Found along the coast of the Bay of Bengal and also from the eastern coast to other parts of Southeast Asia.

Sea kraits are semiaquatic and one of the most venomous species of elapid sea snakes found in India.