42 of the Longest Snakes in the U.S. Purposefully Released in Florida for the Ninth Time
The residents of the Sunshine State have a few more scaly neighbors.
On April 25, The Nature Conservancy and its partners released 42 young eastern indigo snakes, 22 females and 20 males, at the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve (ABRP) in Florida, according to the organization. The reptile is the longest snake species native to the U.S. While some may balk at adding more snakes to the neighborhood, there is a good reason behind the release, which is an annual event.
The 2025 release marks the ninth consecutive year The Nature Conservancy has released eastern indigo snakes at the ABRP as part of its collaborative program to return the native, non-venomous apex predator to the region. Forty-two eastern indigo snakes is the most the organization has released at one time.
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Over nine years, The Nature Conservancy has released 209 snakes into the restored sandhill habitat at the ABRP, and the hard work to help this threatened snake species rebound has paid off. In 2023, conservationists spotted two wild-born hatchlings, the first recorded offspring of the released snakes.
"In restoring ecosystems, each species plays a part in bringing back natural balance," the ABRP preserve manager, Catherine Ricketts, said in a statement. "In our longleaf pine-wiregrass savannas, we want the complete suite of species here, including birds, mammals, insects, and an apex predator: the eastern indigo snake. These snakes are a key component of restoring north Florida's longleaf pine forests."
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Before The Nature Conservancy releases the eastern indigo snakes, the reptiles hatch at Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens' Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC), where they spend one year before moving to Welaka National Fish Hatchery for another year.
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When the snakes are freed at the ABRP, they are two years old and still growing. Eastern indigo snakes can grow to be over eight feet long. The ABRP is the only location in Florida designated for their reintroduction. The reptile is also being reintroduced in Alabama.
In both states, the snakes are helping balance the southern longleaf pine ecosystems through their diet of small animals, including both venomous and non-venomous snakes.
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