Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Arizona
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

The eastern indigo snake (EIS; Drymarchon couperi) was federally listed as threatened in 1978, with population declines largely caused by anthropogenically-induced habitat loss. The species has declined throughout its range such that natural populations no longer occur in Alabama, Mississippi, or the Florida panhandle, and they are thought to be in decline throughout much of their range in Georgia and Florida. Although peninsular Florida is considered a stronghold for the species, their contemporary distribution in north-central Florida is largely unknown. Understanding ​EIS ​occurrence in north-central Florida is important for better understanding ​this species' range-wide status and connectivity. This project will conduct surveys for EIS in north-central Florida in collaboration with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Orianne Society. This study will focus on surveys at potential overwintering habitat. These surveys will improve our understanding of EIS in north-central Florida and help better understand this species' status in this region. Our data will also provide a set of baseline occupancy data for follow-up surveys to monitor trends over time.