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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
eastern indigo snake, indigo snake |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Reptilia |
| ORDER: |
Squamata |
| FAMILY: |
Colubridae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Drymarchon corais couperi |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Large,
medium-bodied snake that is black as an adult, with
a cream or reddish throat patch |
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| SIZE: |
Adults
150-180 cm (5-6 ft) |
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| DIET: |
Variety
of warm-blooded vertebrates, reptiles, amphibians,
and birds |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
3-4 years |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
Can
exceed 15 years, even longer in captivity; record
is 25 years |
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| RANGE: |
Southeastern United States including Florida, Georgia,
Florida Keys, extreme southern portions of South
Carolina, and Alabama |
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| HABITAT: |
Dry upland scrub areas |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
No
data |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Threatened |
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| 1. |
The
eastern indigo is the largest indigenous snake to
North America, reaching lengths of up to 2.5 m (8
ft.). |
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| 2. |
The eastern indigo is diurnal, living a communal
existence with the gopher tortoise. It stays in
the burrow to prevent dehydration. |
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| 3. |
The eastern indigo snake is in severe decline. Its
habitat is prime land for development because it
is usually the best draining soil. Because of declining
populations, the indigo is one of the most protected
snakes in the US. The laws are very strict concerning
touching, catching, killing, or in any way harassing
the animal. |
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| 4. |
At
one time the indigo was a popular snake in the pet
trade. It had all of the characteristics that make
an animal popular; it is large, calm, and has a
distinct color. |
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| 5. |
The
eastern indigo has one of the most varied diets
of any snake in the world. It is capable of eating
mammals, amphibians, birds, and even venomous snakes.
But most surprising is that it is one of the only
snakes known to eat young turtles. It does all of
this without venom or constriction. It relies on
its surprisingly strong jaws and by holding the
animal down with its body. |
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Unfortunately, because of the increasing human population
in the range of the eastern indigo, its population
will probably never be anywhere near previous levels.
The indigo is an integral part of the scrub ecosystem,
helping to control the populations of many of the
species found there. Because of the relationship
between the gopher tortoise and the snake, it is
equally important that the tortoise is protected
for the snake to thrive. |
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Coborn, John. The Atlas of Snakes of the World.
New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1991. |
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Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. Reptiles
and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1991. |
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Mattison, Chris. Snakes of the World. New
York: Facts on File Publications, 1986.
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| Mehrtens,
John M. Living Snakes of the World. New York:
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1987. |
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