Bob Mount: Indigo snake important to keep around

Bob Mount
Columnist
Published: August 19, 2008

Among the wide variety of subjects discussed and debated by the Order of Geezers, A.K.A. the Geneva Street Think Tank, are snakes. A few, Bo Torbert for example, are not snake enthusiasts but tolerate their presence on rural property they own.
 
“The only good snake is a dead snake” is an opinion registered by a few of the older geezers. The snake-hating geezers are obviously not among those people I described in my 1975 book, “The Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama,” as being “better educated (and who tend) to lose unfounded fears and prejudices.”

And then there’s geezer Dr. Dan Speake and I, whom some might consider snake lovers. Dan and I prowled the backwoods catching and admiring, but not necessarily loving, snakes of all kinds beginning during the early 1950s. Since then, Dan and I have noticed severe declines in most land-dwelling species of snakes.

Kingsnakes and corn snakes were once common but are now virtually non-existent. Seldom seen nowadays are coachwhips and hognose snakes.

The most spectacular non-venomous snake inhabiting the Southeast is the eastern indigo snake. Heavy-bodied, non-aggressive, and capable of growing to a length of eight feet, the indigo snake was eagerly sought by collectors for the pet trade.

Indigo snakes continued to persist, albeit in declining numbers, in Florida and South Georgia, and in 1978 the snake was listed as a federally protected species.

In addition to its having suffered from over-collection, other factors contributing to the decline include habitat loss, highway mortality, deliberate persecution and introduction of gasoline into the burrows of gopher tortoises by participants in “rattlesnake roundups.”

In an effort to re-establish the indigo snake in Alabama, Dr. Speake began a captive-propagation program, which involved allowing adults to breed in captivity and releasing their offspring in areas of suitable habitat within the former range. The results are still being evaluated.

Ted Turner heard or read about Dr. Speake’s program and invited him to release some of the offspring on an island he owns off the coast of South Carolina.

After determining the island was capable of supporting an indigo snake population, Dan agreed to an introduction, and now, about 30 some-odd years later, the island supports an indigo snake population.

Turner is not the only wealthy person concerned about the plight of indigo snakes. A week or so ago, I learned that a gentleman from New York was contributing mega-bucks to a continuing effort to save the indigo snake.

As a result, AU herpetologist Dr. Craig Guyer will be assured of sufficient funding to continue Dr. Speake’s captive-propogation program, as will funding for the posters and circulars produced by the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to educate the public about indigo snakes.

Bob Mount is emeritus professor of zoology and entomology at Auburn University and writes a weekly column for the Opelika-Auburn News.