Trains inadvertently helping king cobras expand habitat in Goa: Study

• A new study suggests trains are acting as high-speed conduits, helping snakes, including king cobras, expand their habitats in Goa.
• Researchers led by herpetologist Dikansh Parmar highlighted the need for attention to the conservation status of the king cobra population in the Western Ghats.
• The study, published in Biotropica, is the first detailed documentation on the distribution and natural history of the Western Ghats King Cobra in Goa and its interaction with railway infrastructure.
• Combining rescue records, verified sightings, and local reports, the team documented 47 localities where O. kaalinga was found in Goa over 22 years (2002-2024).
• The hypothesis proposes that snakes may inadvertently expand their ranges by accidental transport on trains, opening new ecological research into how railways act as conduits for wildlife movement.