A highly elusive snake species has made a rare occurrence in Alabama. The discovery was recently confirmed by the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, and it is just the second in the last 60 years when an Eastern indigo snake is spotted in the state.
Nevertheless, the discovery didn’t come as a surprise, but more as a succes of effortless program meant to repopulate the wilderness of Alabama with this snake species! According to the wildlife officials, the young snake is a result of the pairs that was introduced in the Conecuh National Forest.
The Eastern indigo snake is actually native to Alabama, but unfortunately, the species went extinct in the 50’s, mostly because of habitat loss. More than 50 years later, the wildlife division introduced the snakes back in the wild as part of a repopulation program. This program started in 2006 and included snakes captured in Georgia.
Four years after, the first snakes were released in the Conecuh National Forest. So the recent discovery comes as a confirmation that the individuals released in the wild not only survived, but also managed to adapt at the environmental conditions.
According to Jim Godwin, an animal scientist with the Alabama Natural Heritage Program, “this is a good sign that the snakes that we have released, who were born in captivity, have been able to adapt to the environment, are acting as wild snakes, and are reproducing.”
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