There’s a new leader in the Conecuh National Forest in Alabama–17 of them, in fact.
The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens’ Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC) today brought back its most recent group of nonvenomous predators east indigo snakes. This brings the total of threatened species that have been reintroduced back to their native territory to 244 in The Conecuh National Forest.
The OCIC is the sole institution that is a captive-breeding facility of the Eastern Indigo Snake, with sole intent of releasing offspring to areas where the population is eliminated. The snake, that is the longest in the United Statesis currently been severely restricted because of habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and declining of gopher tortoises which the snakes depend on to shelter. Thanks to efforts such as the ones of OCIC and the OCIC, the population has started to increase in the native areas such as those of the Conecuh National Forest.
The snakes are born in the OCIC’s facilities located at Lake County, Florida, where they are bred and born. After one year, they’re moved into Zoo Atlanta, where they get bigger and ready to be released.
It is native to the Southern longleaf pine ecosystems that include Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida The snake is vital for ecological balance as it consumes small animals as well as other nonvenomous and venomous snakes.
“So many people invest an enormous amount of effort into breeding and treatment of these snakes,” explained OCIC Director Dr. James Bogan. “A day like this is incredibly rewarding as we witness this vital predator from the apex reclaim its territory and bring balance back in the ecology.”
The various partners to make such releases possible. For this release the OCIC collaborated in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ALDCNR), The Orianne Society, Auburn University, The Nature Conservancy, US Forest Service, Zoo Atlanta, Welaka National Fish Hatchery, Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Alabama Natural Heritage Museum and many others.
This is only one of many projects that OCIC is working on each year. In the last month, the organization has helped release 19 eastern indigos from the Natural Conservancy’s Apalachicola Cliffs and Ravines preserve. This brings the total number of indigos released to 126.
Through field cameras as well as pedestrian survey observations The OCIC along with its colleagues have observed evidence that these snakes remain in good health in their natural habitat.
For more information about the OCIC, visit https://www.centralfloridazoo.org/about-the-zoo/ocic.
Information about the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is home to more than 300 animals that reside in Sanford, Florida. It is a non-profit organization that it is an innovator in conservation, establishing connections that encourage people to do something for the protection of wildlife. More information is available at www.centralfloridazoo.org.
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