TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida wildlife officials are asking residents and visitors across the state’s 67 counties to help track down the elusive rainbow snake as part of a new effort to better understand the species’ shrinking population.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the nonvenomous reptile is usually found near waterways, but sightings have become increasingly rare.
Biologists noted that rainbow snakes spend much of their lives hidden in aquatic environments, especially in rivers, springs and brackish marshes.
“Every sighting report gives us valuable data about their current distribution and helps us assess the health of the species in Florida,” said Kevin Enge, a research scientist with FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “We need help from Floridians and visitors to better understand where rainbow snakes still occur in the state.”
Habitat destruction and the decline of the snake’s primary prey – the American eel – are believed to be major factors behind its disappearance.
FLORIDA APPROVES FIRST BLACK BEAR HUNT IN A DECADE
Photo of a rainbow snake
(Ryan Means/Florida Museum / FOX Weather)
According to the FWC, adult rainbow snakes typically grow between 3 and 4 feet long and are easy to recognize.
Their iridescent black or violet-blue bodies are marked with three red stripes along their back, and they also have yellow lip and chin scales.
Despite its apparent low population, the rainbow snake is not listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the agency did not provide a population estimate.
In addition to habitat and food loss, officials are monitoring the potential spread of a fungal disease, which has been reported in other snake populations and could pose an additional threat.
In southern parts of the Florida peninsula, the species has not been documented in more than 70 years, but biologists caution that because of their elusive nature, sightings might be fewer than where the population figures stand.
If you encounter a rainbow snake, officials urge you to take a photo, note the location and submit the sighting online.
Since the agency issued the public plea, the FWC has received dozens of sightings but only a few are likely credible due to incomplete reports.
Rattlesnake Solutions owner Bryan Hughes provides safety tips for rattlesnake season and explains what climates these venomous reptiles thrive in.
