Rare snake found in Alabama for second time in 60 years

For the second time in more than 60 years, the eastern indigo snake has slithered into Alabama.

The discovery of an oriental indigo snake born in the wild represents the success of an intensive program of reproduction of the reptiles in the state.

“The snake found indicates that the project is resulting in some indigos thriving and reproducing, which is exactly what we wanted!” the Alabama Division of Freshwater Fish and Wildlife said on Facebook Thursday.

“Introducing a species to its native range is a daunting task, and we celebrate every step of its success!”

The biggest in the USA

Being the largest snake native to the United States, the reptile used to be found throughout Alabama. But it became extinct in the state in the 1950s, largely due to habitat loss, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Snakes, however, are a crucial element of the ecosystem. Jim Godwin, an animal biologist with the Alabama Natural Heritage Program run by the Auburn University Museum of Natural History, told CNN that eastern indigo snakes were historically the “edge predator” in pine forests. Therefore, a decline in the population of these reptiles has a “domino effect” on other species in the ecosystem.

So in 2006, a team of conservationists from Alabama launched a project to reintroduce the eastern indigo snake to the state.

Starting with individuals caught in the wild in Georgia, where reptiles are also found, they began to create a captive population.

In 2010, the first snakes from the captive population were released into the Conecuh National Forest. The goal is to eventually introduce a total of 300 specimens to create a healthy, viable population in Alabama.

success program

The discovery of wild-born eastern indigo snakes means that the released snakes survived and had offspring, providing a glimmer of hope for the species’ success in Alabama.

“It’s an excellent indicator that the snakes that we release, that were born in captivity, have been able to adapt to nature, function like wild snakes and are reproducing,” Godwin said.

The discovered snake was clearly born in the wild due to two factors, according to Godwin: its small size and the lack of a PIT tag (or passive integrated transponder).

The cub was markedly smaller than those released from captivity, which were usually at least two feet long; snakes can grow up to 2.4 meters long as adults.

And the snakes released are tagged with PIT tags, which have tiny microchips that allow researchers to identify each animal by its unique code.

The first wild-born eastern indigo snake was discovered in Alabama in 2020, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Both snakes were found by accident, according to Godwin, who explained that “it is difficult to go out and look for them, because they are small and can hide very easily.”

During the winter, the project team monitors the gopher tortoise burrows, where adult eastern indigo snakes breed in the cooler months, in hopes of identifying the animals.

The reintroduction project was an ongoing collaboration between Auburn University, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the US Forest Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and other partners, Godwin said.