Geography & BiodiversityImportant2025-11-02

Irwin's Wolf Snake Discovered in Great Nicobar

Why focus: Endemic species in Great Nicobar (a highly tested geography)—GS3 Environment, sets up habitat and venomous/non-venomous traps.

In News

What Happened

Herpetologists discovered a new species of non-venomous wolf snake, Lycodon irwini, in the moist evergreen forests of Great Nicobar Island in November 2025. Named in tribute to the late Australian wildlife educator Steve Irwin, the glossy black snake reaches about a meter in length. It was identified using DNA sequencing and morphological comparisons by researchers from Pondicherry University, the Max Planck Institute, and independent naturalists.

Why It Matters

This discovery highlights the rich, underexplored biodiversity and high endemism of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. Because the snake is strictly confined to a single island and faces potential habitat loss from upcoming mega-infrastructure projects, researchers have urgently recommended its classification as Endangered under the IUCN Red List.

Background

History & Context

The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is a recognized biodiversity hotspot with high levels of endemism (about 24% in some faunal groups). Extensive herpetological surveys on Great Nicobar have documented nearly 40 new species since 2021. The discovery of Lycodon irwini was formally published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics after scientists analyzed old museum specimens, conducted field surveys, and performed DNA sequencing showing a 6 to 17% genetic divergence from related species.

What Changed

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Taxonomic Classification: BEFORE, this specific black wolf snake was completely overlooked by science. NOW, it is formally recognized as a distinct endemic species (Lycodon irwini) characterized by its uniformly glossy black body and higher scale counts compared to its relatives.
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Conservation Status: BEFORE, the population was unassessed because it was unknown to science. NOW, researchers have formally recommended an 'Endangered' status under IUCN criteria due to having only four known records and a highly vulnerable, restricted island habitat.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This discovery strongly connects to Class 12 Biology Chapter 15 (Biodiversity and Conservation), specifically illustrating the concepts of 'endemism' and 'IUCN Red List Categories'. Lycodon irwini serves as a practical example of a narrowly endemic species confined to a single geographic area, demonstrating the heightened extinction vulnerability that warrants an Endangered classification.

Practice Questions

Q1

With Reference To

With reference to the newly discovered Irwin's wolf snake (Lycodon irwini), consider the following statements: 1. It is a highly venomous reptile endemic to the Western Ghats. 2. Researchers have recommended classifying it as 'Endangered' under the IUCN Red List due to its highly restricted habitat. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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