… During this time they are often found in Gopher Tortoise burrows or similar retreats. They inhabit flatwoods, hammocks, dry glades, stream bottoms, cane fields, riparian thickets, and high ground with well-drained, sandy soils. These snakes are not constrictors and overpower their prey by grabbing it in their jaws, pressing it against the ground, and chewing it until it stops struggling or by quickly swallowing it alive. Do you have snakes around your house? Due to the prevalence of private land and small parcel sizes, the southeastern Coastal Plain is a patchwork of different land uses with little continuity across the landscape. They appear to still occur in the Florida Keys, though sightings there are extremely rare. Eastern Indigo Snake The species, being the longest native snake of the United States of America, has the ability to digest the venom of rattlesnakes. Moler. 2003. They also typically have a white chin and throat, and the black coloration of their bodies is duller. Smith. The eastern indigo snake was originally described asColuber couperiby Home range size and habitat use of the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) at a disturbed agricultural site in south Florida A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Science By S. Brent Jackson 2013. Habitat: Although the size of the home range of an indigo snake varies by the snakeâ s age and sex as well as seasonally, indigos require immense tracts to flourish. Range of southeastern Georgia snakes were found to be as large as 3,000 acres (1,600 ha), and one male was noted to move a distance of about 13 miles (22 km). This magnificent species is America’s longest snake and is now only found in southern Georgia and peninsular Florida. Article was last reviewed on 4th January 2019. Specifically, urban and rural development, agriculture, roads, altered fire regimes, forestry and conversion to pine plantations have fragmented habitats resulting in negative impacts to Eastern Indigo Snakes. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. Its primary threat is from habitat loss due to human development. 706 pp. It used to be found abundantly throughout the southeastern United States, but has lost much of its habitat due to human influences. You can also post your observations on iNaturalist. The chin and throat are typically red or orangish, and the color may extend down the body. They are diurnal hunters and travel long distances in a day actively searching for prey. In southeast Georgia, it is likely that males and females first breed when three to four years old. The Orianne Society is a wildlife conservation organization working to save the threatened eastern indigo snake. Habitat: Although the size of the home range of an indigo snake varies by the snakeâ s age and sex as well as seasonally, indigos require immense tracts to flourish. They prey on a variety of small mammals, amphibians, lizards and venomous snakes, including the copperhead. Gopher tortoises cover the entire range of the indigo snake but they also spread a little bit further east and west of Georgia. Why Are We Afraid of Snakes and How Do We Overcome That Fear. Banner photo courtesy of Todd Pierson. Hatchlings average 22 inches (55 cm) in total length. And travel means crossing roads. Eastern indigo snakes are native to the southeastern United States with a range that includes South Carolina, Alabama and most of Florida. Eastern Indigo Snakes are most vagile during the warmer months of the year (April to October). Close-up of Indigo Snake This is an indigo snake dragging-off a rattlesnake to eat. Indigo Snake Pictures Indigo Snake Range Indigo Snake Indigo Snakes Texas Indigo Snake Drymarchon Published on January 16th 2017 by staff under Snakes. Learn how to safely co-exist with snakes. The Eastern Indigo is a non-venomous snake that uses its strong jaws to capture and kill its prey. These extensive, xeric sand ridges may be 8 kilometers (5 miles) long and support barren environments vegetated with stunted turkey oaks and a patchy ground cover of saw palmetto, rosemary, mints and reindeer lichens. The Eastern Indigo Snake or commonly known as the blue indigo snake, blue gopher snake, and blue bull snake, and the black snake has a scientific name, Drymarchon couperi which means “lord of the forest.” It is a non-venomous snake that is characterized by its color of blue-black dorsal and lateral scales with hints of tan to reddish-orange hues of the cheeks, chin, and throat. Eastern indigo snakes are not dangerous to people or pets. The Eastern Indigo Snake is a wide-ranging top predator that, pound for pound, can require as much room to roam as an African Lion. This may be the result of higher energetic costs associated with reproduction, higher predation rates and/or higher overwinter mortality in females. For more information, check out How It Works. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Competition among males for mates may be intense, resulting in male-male combat rituals. Its primary threat is from habitat loss due to human development. Their name comes from the purple iridescent color of its black scales in the sunlight. Its color is uniformly a lustrous black, although the chin, throat, and sometimes the cheeks may be red to creamy in color. In the northern parts of the range (i.e., southern Georgia and northern Florida, including the Panhandle region) Eastern Indigo Snakes rely on Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows for cool-season dens, and are restricted to sandy, Longleaf Pine habitats. Still have questions about snakes or identifications? The Eastern indigo snake is a non-venomous, bluish-black colored snake that can reach lengths of (1.33 to 2 ft.) upon hatching. The pupil is round. The eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) is a large (up to eight ft. in length, average length six to seven ft.) bluish/black snake found in the extreme southeastern United States. Despite its protected status, very little is known about indigo snake population trends in Florida or elsewhere in its range. Scientific name: Drymarchon We have thousands of exotic reptiles for sale from top breeders from around the world. See you around! The glossy, blue-black coloration is unique to this species. Snakes of the United States and Canada. The eastern indigo snake is an icon of the southern longleaf pine forest and is the longest native snake on the continent. About the Species . Related Species. The Texas indigo snake, Drymarchon melanurus erebennus, is a subspecies of the Eastern indigo snake. Basking often occurs at temperatures of 15 to 22°C (60 to 72°F) and at temperatures as low as 7°C (45°F). Reaching lengths of almost 9 feet, it is the longest native snake in the United States. The Latin name for the genus Drymarchon roughly translates to “forest ruler” from the Greek words drymos, meaning forest, and archon, meaning ruler. Folt, B., J. Bauder, S. Spear, D. Stevenson, M. Hoffman, J.R. Oaks, P.L. IV Abstract The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) is a species that is federally threatened primarily because of habitat loss and fragmentation. 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