(IN): Rare lizard found in Orissa forests

[Guest guest]

Link: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070013766

 

Rare lizard found in Orissa forests

 

NDTV Correspondent

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 (Bubaneshwar)

A limbless lizard of an extremely rare breed was discovered by

zoologists in the forests of Orissa on Tuesday.

 

The last sighting of a limbless lizard but a different species was way

back in 1870 in the Golkonda Hills of Andhra Pradesh.

 

Professor Sushil Dutta whose team spotted the lizard says it is a find

of great significance.

 

''It is very important from the bio-geographic point of view because

the closest relatives of this lizard live in South Africa and Sri

Lanka,'' says Dutta of the North Orissa University.

 

''This is a new species to be included in a new genus and which is

also a discovery after more than 130 years.''

 

The lizard is a little longer than a palm and has all the prominent

features of its family such as lower eyelids and scales.

 

It prefers to live in cool spots under the soft soil and in shaded

forests.

 

But scientists fear that its current habitat a patch of evergreen

rainforest at Khandadhar is under threat due to mining activities in

this iron-ore rich belt.

 

''From conservation point of view this occupies a heavy debt.This is

an example of existence of small patches of rain forests due to

degradation of forest, due to erosion of top soil perhaps most of

these animals are vanishing,'' says professor Dutta.