“It’s exciting that the indigos are now successfully reproducing on their own,” mentioned Michele Elmore, USFWS restoration biologist for the japanese indigo snake. “It’s a testament to the talent, expertise and commitment by all the partners. With increasing numbers of snakes released over time and successful reproduction, the indigo is gaining momentum to return to the landscape where it belongs.”
Multiple nonprofits, authorities businesses and educational companions have labored collectively for many years in dedication to the restoration of japanese indigo snakes in North Florida together with: The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Florida, the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens’ Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Welaka National Fish Hatchery, The Orianne Society, Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Southern Company by means of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. Together, these companions have labored tirelessly to realize these essential conservation milestones.
“The future is very bright for indigo snakes at Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve,” mentioned Brad O’Hanlon, reptile and amphibian conservation coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “This project continues to be one of the gold standard conservation projects in Florida, and we are grateful for the many partnerships that contribute to our mission, values and shared goals.”
Eastern indigo snakes had been traditionally present in southern Georgia, Alabama, japanese Mississippi and all through Florida, although their vary is now much more restricted. Largely eradicated from northern Florida as a consequence of habitat loss and fragmentation, japanese indigo snakes had been final noticed at ABRP in 1982, till the species restoration effort started in 2017 and our first hatchlings had been found in 2023.
