Florida wildlife officials are asking for your help to find the elusive rainbow snake, a rare nonvenomous species experiencing population decline throughout the state.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission launched an initiative to gather sighting reports of rainbow snakes, which have become increasingly difficult to find in recent decades, according to FWC.
Enge, a Research Scientist with FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, explained that each sighting report provides valuable data about the snakes' current distribution and helps assess the species' health in Florida.
FWC said the population decline stems from multiple factors, including the rainbow snake's specialized diet. These semi-aquatic reptiles primarily feed on American eels, which have also seen decreasing numbers in Florida waters. This dietary dependency, combined with habitat loss, has put additional pressure on the species.
Further complicating conservation efforts, snake fungal disease has begun impacting rainbow snake populations in other states, raising concerns about their long-term survival prospects in Florida.
Rainbow snakes are visually distinctive with their iridescent black or violet-blue bodies featuring three red stripes along their backs. They have yellow lip and chin scales marked with violet spots, and adults typically reach 3 to 4 feet in length.
These aquatic snakes are usually found in or near water bodies, including rivers, springs and brackish marshes, according to FWC. A south Florida subspecies was historically found in Fisheating Creek in Glades County, more than 150 miles south of the nearest known population in Lake County, but hasn't been documented since 1952.
The FWC encourages anyone who spots a rainbow snake to report the sighting, with photographs being especially helpful for confirmation.
