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An elusive snake species has become rare in Alabama. The find was recently confirmed by the Alabama Freshwater Division of Wildlife and Fisheries, and is only the second in the past 60 years that the eastern redneck snake has been seen in the state.
The discovery, however, was not a surprise but rather a success for an effort to repopulate the Alabama Desert with the snake species. Wildlife officials say the young snake is the result of pairs introduced to the Coetz National Forest.
“The snake found yesterday indicates that the project is resulting in thriving, reproductively successful species, exactly what we would like,” the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries said on Facebook. “Reintroducing the species to its active range is a daunting task, and we celebrate every step of its success!”
The eastern idigo snake is actually native to Alabama, but the species unfortunately became extinct in the 1950s, largely due to habitat loss. More than 50 years later, the Department of Wildlife reintroduced the snakes to the wild as part of a repopulation program. The program began in 2006 and included snakes captured in Georgia. Four years later, the first snakes were released into the Coeval National Forest. Therefore, the recent discovery confirms that the individuals released into nature not only survived, but also managed to adapt to environmental conditions.
“It’s a great indicator that the snakes we released that were in captivity were able to adapt to nature, act like wild snakes and reproduce,” Jim Godwin, an animal biologist with the Alabama National Heritage Program, told CNN.
This is the second time the eastern redneck snake has been (accidentally) discovered since the show’s launch. The first was spotted in 2020. Still, officials have not ruled out the possibility that there are other wild redneck snakes in the area.
