Paraguay is a landlocked South American Country. Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia surround it. It provides a home to large swaths of swampland. Subtropical forest and Chaco, wilderness comprising Savanna and Scrubland. Due to its location and surroundings, it is not surprising to find several unique reptiles and amphibian species.
How Phaloris shawnella was found
Recently, scientists found a unique species of snake with a redhead in combination with a yellow band around the neck, followed by black lateral bans and black-spotted orange scales on its belly. To date, this snake is found in only two places: Laguna Blanca, a famous tourist destination for summers, and Colonia Volendam, which is almost 90 kilometers from Laguna Blanca. Both of these places are located in the eastern province of Paraguay, which is the neighbor of Brazil.
This stunning snake was first found in 2014 when Jean-Paul Brouard, a senior wildlife researcher, dug a hole at Rancho Launa Balance. He found the snake very different from traditional snake species, which are very well known around the globe. The sight of an indifferent snake that was previously unknown to the scientist motivated him to find more similar snakes so that they could be studied thoroughly. Unfortunately, during the years of research, only three individual snakes could be found in San Pedro, an eastern province of Paraguay. Because the experts could not find a sufficient quantity of this snake in the immediate environment, they declared it an endangered species. By claiming it endangered, they mean that serious protection is required to secure the species; otherwise, it is in imminent danger of extinction.
Out of three snakes, scientists and researchers will be able to catch only one snake as the other two escaped quickly to carry out a further extensive study on this particular type of snake. They named the snake Phaloris shawnella in honor of two children, Ella Bethany Atkinson and Shawn Ariel Fernandez. They were both born in 2008, the same year the nonprofit Fundacion Para La Tierra was founded. Both of these kids served the organization immensely to protect endangered wildlife in Paraguay.
Some facts about the discovery
During the study on the captured reptile, Jean-Paul Brouard and his colleagues Paul Smith and Pier Cacciali found many distinctive facts about the snake, which they published in different journals over time. According to a Zoosystematics and Evolution journal study, the newly discovered species is a non-venomous member of the genus Phalotris. Non-venomous snakes are not dangerous to humans except for some giant constrictor snakes such as Green Anaconda or the Burmese Python. They generally prey on insects, birds, and small animals like cows, goats, pigs, and dear. According to another published study, the snake is found to be a fossorial species, which means it prefers to spend most of its time hunting and digging just under the earth’s soil in its region and does not travel long distances. Moreover, on other sources of information, the authors informed that the Phalotris genus carries the features of almost fifteen species of snakes present in the vast Cerrado Savanna eco-region that stretches from Brazil and into Paraguay.
It’s a matter of concern.
Since several researchers have determined that the newly discovered gorgeous snake is an endangered species, they are worried not only about securing Phaloris shawnella but also about the safety of other wildlife species present in the region of Paraguay. Because this portrays that there is a vital need to protect the natural environment in the Paraguayan region. A few decades back, Laguna Blanca, an area of the Cerrado region in Paraguay, was designated as a natural reserve and habitat for wildlife. Still, now there is no protection for nature. Cerrado region is developing for agriculture and cattle ranching at a swift pace, because of which the natural environment is in great danger.
Conclusion
Nature does not stop surprising humanity; the discovery of stunning Phaloris shawnella is no less than a fantastic surprise from nature. All the well-being, including wildlife species that are a part of nature, is equally essential for maintaining balance and harmony in the ecosystem. Hence, the preservation sites of the Cerrado region should be considered a national priority for conservation by the respective authorities.
