Drymarchon corais couperi
- Average size: 60-74 inches; Record 103.5 inches. Young are 19-24 inches at
birth.
- Range: Peninsular Florida, with a few isolated populations in the Florida
panhandle and north Key Largo, however nowhere are they abundant.
- Diet: Snakes, including rattlesnakes, cottonmouth moccasins and copperheads,
frogs, salamanders, toads, small mammals, birds, and occasionally young turtles.
- Status: It has full protection as a threatened species in Florida. It is illegal to
harass, harm, capture, keep, or kill an eastern indigo snake without specific
state and/or federal permits. This is the largest of Florida snakes and requires a
relatively large area of undeveloped land. In one study, four male snakes
averaged 470 acres for their spring/summer activity ranges; one individual used a
territory of 1,400 acres. Habitat for indigos are becoming more and more
fragmented by roads and development. This is one reason for the population
decline. Some are killed by uninformed people that have no idea that this snake
eats venomous pit vipers such as: rattlesnakes, cottonmouth moccasins and
copperheads. Rattlesnake hunters often use the gassing method, a practice that
is illegal, to flush rattlesnakes out of gopher holes. I'm sure this has an adverse
affect on not only indigos and gophers, but on any other animal that uses these
holes. Education is the key to preserving such a majestic snake.
- In early Aug. 2003, I found an indigo hit by a car just south of High Springs, FL.
This was the first indigo I've seen since the mid 1970's.
- On Aug. 31, 2003, we found an indigo on a dirt road south of Newberry, FL.
Mike, my son, grabbed his Canon AE-1 and I grabbed the digital and the fun
began. This indigo was the most cooperative snake I've ever photographed,
posing like a real pro. When it crawled off the edge of the road it lifted it's head
and climbed into the thickets then finally into a tree. I've caught and seen
several indigos (in my youth), but I've never seen one in a tree or even climb
into a tree before. We took several photos while it was ascending into the tree.
The fire ants overtook us (very painful) and we had to back out.
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