Godwin and Steen said future releases will rely on snakes born and raised at OCIC.Īlabama Farmers Federation Secretary-Treasurer Steve Dunn is a Conecuh County native. The goal is to place a self-sustaining population of snakes there. ![]() Pregnant female snakes captured in Georgia were incubated at Auburn and bred at Zoo Atlanta and OCIC for two years before being released in the Conecuh National Forest. Fish and Wildlife Services, Zoo Atlanta, Orianne Society in Orlando, Florida, and Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC). So far, 107 snakes out of a planned 300 have been released in the Conecuh National Forest with the help of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, U.S. Godwin described the eastern indigo snake as an apex predator, meaning it’s at the top of the food chain, often feeding on venomous snakes. “Indigo snakes are unique in that not only do they use a large amount of land, but they use different habitats in different times of the year.” “We knew there were a lot of tortoises in the area, and that’s why the site was picked,” he said. In doing so, that’s removing a critical microhabitat for the snake.”Īn effort in the ‘80s to repopulate the snake failed, but researchers gave the project a second glance in 2006.ĭavid Steen of AU’s ANHP said the Conecuh National Forest was selected as a reintroduction site because of its gopher tortoise population, acreage and longleaf pine management practices. Along with conversion of forests, we had a removal of stump holes and burrows. “Eastern indigo snakes require gopher tortoise burrows and stump holes during winter. ![]() “It had to do with the conversion of forests to other land uses, accompanied by the decline of the gopher tortoise,” Godwin said. ![]() The reason for its disappearance, said Jim Godwin of AU’s Alabama Natural Heritage Program (ANHP), is the loss of longleaf pine ecosystems throughout the state. The region includes Florida, southeast Georgia, south Alabama and southwest Mississippi. The eastern indigo snake, a non-venomous, federally protected species native to the Southeastern longleaf pine region, hasn’t been seen in Alabama since the 1950s. I can help you with the process if you like.Large black snakes slithering through the woods aren’t the first thing most Alabamians want to see, but researchers at Auburn University (AU) are hoping the sight will become more common. Obtaining a permit costs $100 and requires a 2-3 month wait. I will not sell these snakes outside of California without the proper permits. ![]() As such, a Federal Permit is required to move these snakes across state lines. In the summer of 2010, I was fortunate enough to successfully hatch out well-formed, gorgeous babies! Both red-throat and black babies emerged from the eggs, as I was poised with my camera!ĭue in large part to habitat fragmentation in their native environment in the southeast, the Eastern Indigo is a protected species. In the fall of 2009, I bred a red-chin male to a black female and my first clutch of Eastern eggs soon followed. Indigos generally come in two phases- red-throats and blacks. We have since added snakes to our collection that were produced by the following breeders: Steve Fuller, Steve Binnig, Seth Smith, Mike Mead, Gale Foland, Jeff Jones, Virgil Willis, and Andy Watson. Like many others, I grew up viewing indigos as the absolute apex of my reptile dreams, and in 2006, my dreams became a reality as I put together a group of Easterns from Steve Takata and from Robert Bruce’s lines. They are generally docile, and make for hardy and rewarding captives if cared for properly. Widely regarded as one of the most intelligent snakes in the world, the Eastern Indigo has been the object of fascination for snake keepers for decades.
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