Ross’ Wolf SnakeLycodon chrysoprateros

Conservation Actions

There are no direct conservation measures in place for this species. There do not appear to be any protected areas on Dalupiri Island. There is a need to conserve suitable areas of forest on Dalupiri Island, and to undertake additional research into the possible distribution (especially for the islands of Calayan and Camiguin Norte), ecological requirements, and threats to this little-known species. Research into the taxonomic status of this species is urgently required to verify that this is a distinct species.

Location Information

This Philippine endemic species is known from a 1990 survey on Dalupiri Island, in the Babuyan Island Group, Cagayan Province (Ota and Ross 1994). Reported specimens from Camiguin Norte Island require confirmation (R. Brown pers. comm. 2007) and are not mentioned by Leviton et al. (2018). Records from Calayan and Babuyan Claro are genetically very close to this species (Leviton et al. 2018), but are not formally assigned to this species by these authors. It has been recorded from sea level up to 200 m asl.

Geographic Range

Extant

Philippines

Population Information

The species is currently known only from six specimens. It may be declining, but this requires further surveys. Much of the forest has been cleared on Dalupiri Island.

Threats

The forest on Dalupiri Island is highly fragmented and the remaining habitat is continuing to degrade because of cattle ranching activities in the area. There are forest remnants that may support the species on cliffs. Although specimens were collected in forest, further studies into the threats to the species are needed as closely related species are often not restricted to forest habitat.

IUCN Red List Account Link

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