Reward Offered for Sighting of South Florida Rainbow Snake
Posted on 11/30/2011 1:47:24 PM PST by smokingfrog
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) declared in October that the South Florida rainbow snake (Farancia erytrogramma seminola) is extinct, but the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Snake Conservation think otherwise, and have put up a $500 reward to the first person who can document that the snake is not extinct.
Cameron Young, executive director of the Center for Snake Conservation said in a press release that declaring the snake extinct without adequate research is scientifically irresponsible. Young hopes that in offering a reward for valid documentation that the snake is not extinct, the proof will spur conservation efforts to ensure that the reptile survives into the future, and hopefully be returned onto the Endangered Species List.
The center says that USFWS declared the reptile extinct without conducting any focused surveys on the animal in its native habitat in spite of anecdotal evidence that the snake is eating eels in the Fisheating Creek area. By declaring the snake extinct, the species is no longer afforded protections under the Endangered Species Act.
The South Florida rainbow snake is an elusive species that is rarely seen in its native habitat, which is the Fisheating Creek area in Glades County, Florida. It is known from just three specimens, the last which was collected in 1952. Little is known about the snake, though it is believed to be entirely aquatic and active only at night and feeds exclusively on the American eel. There were unconfirmed sightings of the snake in the late 1980s, but no sightings since.
(Excerpt) Read more at reptilechannel.com ...
Reward Offered for Sighting of South Florida Rainbow Snake
One less thing to worry about.
I’ll just bet Bawney Fwank can find one.
You better hope they don’t find any or the entire state of Florida will be declared a habitat.
My wife hates the things, even if it was the last mating pair on earth she would grab a shovel and chop them into little pieces while screaming.
Striking color. That would make a nice belt. If you see one, let me know.
Just a ploy by the DFG to find, arrest, and confiscate all property from the “violators”.
I personally don't give a crap about snakes becoming extinct, when the Country is going to Hell in a hand-basket.
Its a pickled specimen. A live one is breathtaking. Not called a Rainbow Snake for nothing.
I belive they feed mainly on aquatic salamenders like Amphiuma, missnamed “Congo” Eels - very ugly and very nasty amphibians with a wicked bite.
Farancia is a semi-aquatic fossial species, very secretive, so it very well might still be around South Florida - hopefully.
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farancia
“I personally don’t give a crap about snakes becoming extinct, when the Country is going to Hell in a hand-basket.”
Fine. But the two pursuits are not mutually exclusive.
I like animals and I regret it when any species becomes extinct. Its a loss that can’t be replaced and every species is a potential source of many items of use to humans - both practical and esthetic.
I got a nice belt and hatband that looks JUST LIKE THAT!
Ok, just kidding.
Whadda ya expect with a gay snake?!?!?
Do you have to bring the whole snake in, or just the head?
99% of all species that have ever inhabited the planet are extinct.
So we really all are the 1 percenters.
yeah right, like anyone will bite on a 500 dollar reward for that. No one will admit to seeing one if it is on their own property. Too much to lose.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a non-profit, but it is the same group that caused all the Spotted Owl controversy a few years ago.
They have a Center for Snake Conservation? Time to defund the agency.
Simply tell them you saw one slithering around in your rude and obnoxious neighbor’s yard.
Oh, I might just send them on a wild goose chase. This is soooo a**inine. First of all.....WHO CARES!!!
Is The Center for Biological Diversity also known as ACORN, and Get Out The Vote, or possibly, Center for American Progress?
Why would you worry about a harmless and beneficial creature?
Careful bud....snakies love to eat froggies.
tell them you saw 3 in new jersey
Dead or alive?
The same spotted owls now being killed off by the larger barred owls that love to prey on other large birds.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Spotted-Owls-New-Nemesis.html
We had one of these show up at our place last year. Huge bird! I am surprised it did not get one of our barn cats.
Boy if I found one on my land I would have to send it somewheres else.
It's not a government agency. It's a private non-profit. The fact is that they're taking on the government here, trying to prove that that USFWS got it wrong when they declared the snake extinct.
Maybe you should start going out at night to take pictures so you can get a picture of one. Of course, you’ll have to get some night vision goggles and a few other things.
for the record, this is not a species, it is a subspecies.
The reward will be given to the first person to document a rainbow snake south of Interstate 4 in South Florida. No harm can come to these highly imperiled snakes. Acceptable documentation includes photos with specific locality information, which can be sent to seminola@snakeconservation.org. If you can hu-manely capture the snake alive, you should immediately call 770-500-0000 so we can send a biologist out to meet you at the capture site. The biologist will identify the snake, collect scales for DNA analysis, and return the snake to the wild unharmed. Please hold live snakes in containers with breathing holes.
“I belive they feed mainly on aquatic salamenders like Amphiuma, missnamed “Congo” Eels - very ugly and very nasty amphibians with a wicked bite.”
Hey....donchu be a’dissin’ mah kin!
Quite a history involving Fisheating Creek and Lykes Brothers.
The mega company illegally blocked access to the creek for years. Only opened after a lengthy court battle.
Absolutely pristine, plenty of Bald Eagles and big cats.
Great canoe or Kayak and camping area. Pack it in and out. No facilities.
If people want to conserve snakes on their own dime, they can do it.
“I danth at the Rainbow Thnake.”
Hey! I got some boots that look like that!
I have spent many nights in the swamps, however. I always enjoyed taking a city slicker along in my canoe, just to hear them scream every time a frog farted.
Your wife and I would be good friends, we think alike, snakes are for killin’! :/
I’ll check my low country swamp lagoon - once the alligator hibernates.
Have several species of snakes commuting between the magnolias and the palmettos.
Would be fun to find one - but how would I catch it?
:The biologist will identify the snake, collect scales for DNA analysis, and return the snake to the wild unharmed.”
Down to perhaps one snake and the AnencyPerson will “return the snake to the wild unharmed” ? ? ?
Why not have it crossed with the putative trinomial which is available?
The head AgencyPersons will not be pleased - this could have been another excuse for a “captive breeding program” to “bring back from the very brink of extinction” a rare species.
BAH! HUMBUGGERY!!!!
IF such a snake is found, the herpitology community can do the captive breeding successfully (more than AgencyPersons and the ‘academented) can usually manage.
Put out your rainbow flag and see if it attracts anything.
I et one fur dinner last night. Can I show you dat proof?
I well remember the one and only time about 15 years ago I came across an eastern mud snake of the same genus. I was doing some early April pre-season turkey scouting when I ran across an adult mud snake that was feeding on some tadpoles at the edge of a large mud puddle on a flooded logging road in Surry County, VA ...strikingly beautiful snake w/very glossy, vivid markings ...must've just shed its skin!
Link to eastern mud snake (Farancia abacura abacura):
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/species/photos/030025-1.jpg
“Fisheating Creek area”
Good memories of camping along an swimming in Fisheating Creek as a kid back in the 70’s.
Do not know.
I flew over the creek area last week.
Not a soul to be seen.
Wild hog and some deer is all I saw from about 500 feet.
Thx for the “aerial survey!”
Hmmmm. Did this white guy with a black sounding forum name (ZULU) smoke out another racist?
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