Rare snake found in Alabama for second time in 60 years

Family discovers a poisonous snake on their Christmas tree 1:13

(CNN) --

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

The discovery of a wild-born eastern indigo snake represents the success of an intensive program to reintroduce the reptiles to the state.

A rare eastern indigo snake was found in Alabama.

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

"Reintroducing a species to its native range is a daunting task, and we celebrate every step of its success!"

• They find a poisonous snake in the Christmas tree

The largest in the US

The largest native snake in the US, 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 "apex predator" in pine-leaf forests. long where they live.

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 Alabama conservationists launched a project to reintroduce the eastern indigo snake to the state.

Starting with wild-caught individuals from Georgia, where the reptiles are also found, they began to breed 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.

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successful 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 success of the species in Alabama.

"It's an excellent indicator that the snakes we've released, that were born in captivity, have been able to adapt to the wild, 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 (or passive integrated transponder) tag.

The hatchling was distinctly smaller than those released from captivity, which were usually at least two feet (60 centimeters) long;

the snakes can grow up to eight feet (2.4 meters) long as adults.

And the released snakes 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's hard to just go out and look for them, because they are small and can hide very easily."

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

The reintroduction project has been 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.

Snake