Florida wildlife officials are urging residents and visitors to report sightings of the rare rainbow snake, a nonvenomous species whose population has declined in recent decades.
Why rainbow snakes are disappearing in Florida
Rainbow snakes (Farancia erytrogramma) are semi-aquatic reptiles that primarily feed on American eels, a species that has also diminished in Florida waters. This dependency, along with habitat loss, has reduced rainbow snake numbers across the state, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Officials note that snake fungal disease has also impacted populations in other states, raising concern for the species’ long-term survival.
“We need help from Floridians and visitors to better understand where rainbow snakes still occur in the state,” said Kevin Enge, a research scientist with FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “Every sighting report gives us valuable data about their current distribution and helps us assess the health of the species in Florida.”
How to identify and report rainbow snakes
The species is visually distinctive: iridescent black or violet-blue with three red stripes along the back, yellow lip and chin scales marked with violet spots, and a typical adult length of 3 to 4 feet. Rainbow snakes are most often found in or near rivers, springs and brackish marshes.
One subspecies once lived in Fisheating Creek in Glades County, more than 150 miles south of the nearest known population in Lake County. However, it has not been documented there since 1952, the FWC said.
Rainbow snake spotted in Florida in 2020 for first time in 50 years
In February 2020, hiker Tracey Cauthen photographed a colorful, 4-foot-long rainbow snake while trekking through the Ocala National Forest, about 47 miles north of Orlando.
The Florida Museum of Natural History confirmed it was the first recorded sighting of the species in Marion County since 1969.
Florida conservation efforts depend on public sightings
FWC asks anyone who encounters a rainbow snake in Florida to report the sighting online. Photographs are especially encouraged to help biologists confirm identifications.
By sharing sightings, the public can contribute to conservation efforts aimed at protecting this striking and elusive reptile, the FWC said.
