Unveiling the Secrets of Three Rare North American Snakes: Fascinating Insights into These Reptiles

This work relayed by the media Forbes is the result of a collaboration between IUCN-Conservation and the environmental NGO NatureServe.

Article originally published in July 2024

The Louisiana pine snake

snakes

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Louisiana pine snake or Pituophis ruthveni generally lives in the long-leaf pine forests of western Louisiana but also eastern Texas. This reptile spends its days underground in burrows and feeds on small mammals.

The different colors that dot its body also make it a very discreet animal. The shade that generally prevails is beige or cream, but darker spots decorate the entire body.

Its environment is threatened by development and firefighting. This is why it becomes essential to continue the conservation efforts already undertaken at the national level.

The Rim Rock crowned snake

snakes

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

From its scientific name Tantilla oolitica, this non-venomous snake belongs to the Colubridae family. It generally lives in rocks and is listed as a threatened species in Florida.

It is possible to recognize it by the light brown color of its body and its darker head. These nuances allow it to blend perfectly into the decor of the rocks in which it evolves. This makes it a discreet snake and even almost invisible to the extent that it spends most of its time under piles of leaves.

In 2022, a specimen, the last observed, was found dead with a giant centipede in its mouth. It appears that he died while trying to engulf the insect.

South Florida Rainbow Snake

photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The South Florida Rainbow Snake also called Farancia erytrogramma seminola by scientists, measures up to 1m50 on average. Unlike the other reptiles in this article, it is impossible for it to camouflage itself because its body has exceptional colors that are out of the ordinary.

This non-venomous reptile belonging to the family of Dipsadidae spends much of its time in streams or swamps, slipping behind aquatic vegetation. However, its population is threatened by two major phenomena: the drainage of wetlands and water pollution. Only three phenomena have been recorded and these two threats do not allow us to know whether this species is extinct or still in the wild.

The diet of the South Florida rainbow snake consists of tadpoles, fish and even salamanders.

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