The Largest Vasuki Snake Fossils Found in Kutch, Gujarat
In a groundbreaking discovery that has sent ripples through the paleontological world, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have unearthed fossils of one of the mightiest snakes to have ever slithered on Earth. Named Vasuki Indicus, after the mythical serpent associated with the Hindu god Shiva, this colossal reptile lived approximately 47 million years ago during the Middle Eocene epoch. The fossil findings in Kutch, Gujarat, suggest that Vasuki Indicus could stretch anywhere from 10 meters to a staggering 15 meters in length, rivaling the size of a modern-day school bus. The expedition led by Professor Sunil Bajpai and post-doctoral researcher Debajit Datta at the Panandhro Lignite Mine uncovered 27 pieces of a partially preserved vertebral column of this giant snake. This discovery is monumental, not only for its size but also because it belonged to the now-extinct Madtsoiidae family, yet represents a unique lineage previously unknown in India. A Peek in...
