The Best Place to see an Eastern Indigo Snake Is the Everglades Reaching 3 m (9.8 ft) or more in length, they are among the world's largest colubrid snakes. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Nota bene: A binomial authority or a trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Drymarchon. They feed on a broad variety of small animals such as rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, toads, and other snakes, including rattlesnakes. It is the largest snake in the United States—record length is 2.6 metres (8.5 feet)—and one of the largest of all colubrids. The eastern indigo snake is an apex predator in the longleaf pine forest ecosystem, feeding on copperheads, rattlesnakes and other snakes, but hadn't been … It is the largest snake in the United States—record length is 2.6 metres (8.5 feet)—and one of the largest of all colubrids. “It’s very exciting for us to find this young snake that confirms one measure of success that we’ve been after all along.”. The eastern indigo snake is the longest snake native to North America, reaching lengths of up to nine feet, though more typically maxing out at around seven feet long. Omissions? Its color is uniformly a lustrous black, although the chin, throat, … Over decades, the combination of habitat loss, collection for the pet trade and “gassing” in rattlesnake rodeos put the species on the brink of extinction. The indigo snake reintroduction program is part of an attempt to restore Alabama’s longleaf pine forest ecosystem, where the indigo snake serves as the top predator. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/animal/indigo-snake, Florida Museum of Natural History - Indigo Snake. Reaching lengths of almost 9 feet, it is the longest native snake in the United States. The indigo snake is thought to be the main predator of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and data has shown the rattlesnake to be a preferred food item. “Snakes are limbless, small-boned, little bags of meat,” says Drabeck. "A new species of indigo snake from north-western Venezuela (Serpentes: Colubridae: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63773A12714602.en, The Indigo Snake Systematics Page: A New Species of Indigo Snake (, "Black Snakes": Identification and Ecology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Drymarchon&oldid=982799619, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 10 October 2020, at 12:16. Now, for the first time in seven decades, the eastern indigo is reproducing on its own in Alabama. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Plus, when you get right down to it, venomous creatures are pretty wimpy. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Longleaf pine forests, which once covered much of the Southeast, have been reduced to about 3 percent of their historic range. Godwin said the efforts to reintroduce the snake are in their 14th year, with more than 160 snakes released into the wild since 2010. Indigo snakes are closely associated with gopher tortoise burrows in Alabama, especially in the winter. All snakes released are about two years old and carry unique tags so that researchers can identify the snakes if they’re recaptured. While missing from Alabama since the 1950s, the indigo snake is still hanging on in Florida and south Georgia. The longest recorded specimen measured 2.8 m (9.2 ft) in total length (including tail). CLASSIFICATION: Adult snakes feed on small mammals, birds, and snakes, with a preference for snakes. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. It kills small vertebrate animals, including venomous snakes, by crushing with its jaws and the weight of its coils but is not a constrictor. eats copperheads and rattlesnakes for breakfast. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Indigo snakes are known to feed mainly upon other snakes, turtles, mammals, frogs, birds, and lizards. The eastern indigo snake is a large, black, non-venomous snake found in the southeastern United States. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Godwin said the snake was discovered by a research team from Auburn investigating gopher tortoise burrows in the National Forest. The snake captured this month was estimated to be about seven to eight months old and did not carry a tag. And as the importance of the longleaf pine ecosystem has really come out in the last couple of decades, we’ve been missing pieces of that, restoring that ecosystem.”. For the first time since 1954, biologists found evidence that the federally protected eastern indigo snake is breeding on its own in Alabama. Adult indigo snakes will eat smaller juvenile indigo snakes. Unlike many snakes, mature … Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Updates? The genus Drymarchon was formerly considered to be a monotypic taxon formed by subspecies of D. corais. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. In the United States its colour is blue-black; southward it may have brown foreparts, and in the tropics members of the genus often are called brown snakes. Corrections? Currently the genus includes six distinct species recognized by ITIS:[4] One of the species has several subspecies which are recognized as being valid. It may share a burrow with a gopher tortoise (Gopherus) and is often called gopher snake. This snake genus, Drymarchon, means "Lord of The Forest". Duméril, 1854). Typical threat display includes hissing and shaking of its tail as a warning. Godwin said he did not want to provide additional details about the snake’s location because there are still concerns about poaching. Drymarchon is a genus of large nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly known as indigo snakes or cribos, found in the Southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. All rights reserved (About Us). Godwin said the snakes will take shelter in the burrows on cold days, and roam about looking to reproduce on warm, sunny days during the winter. “The snake was a part of Alabama,” Godwin said. The indigo earned a listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. It has been observed that the Indigo snake appears to be immune to the poison of venomous snakes. Drymarchon is a genus of large nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly known as indigo snakes or cribos,[3] found in the Southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. The eastern indigo snake has uniform blue-black dorsal and lateral scales, with some specimens having a reddish-orange to tan color on the throat, cheeks, and chin. “We’re releasing these snakes that are all generally about two years old, with the hope, and the expectation that eventually the snakes will survive from year to year and breed in the wild,” said Jim Godwin, a biologist with the Alabama Natural Heritage Program at Auburn University, who is leading the indigo restoration efforts in Alabama.