Reward Offered for Sighting of South Florida Rainbow Snake
Posted on 11/30/2011 1:47:24 PM PST by smokingfrog
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) declared in October that the South Florida rainbow snake (Farancia erytrogramma seminola) is extinct, but the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Snake Conservation think otherwise, and have put up a $500 reward to the first person who can document that the snake is not extinct.
Cameron Young, executive director of the Center for Snake Conservation said in a press release that declaring the snake extinct without adequate research is scientifically irresponsible. Young hopes that in offering a reward for valid documentation that the snake is not extinct, the proof will spur conservation efforts to ensure that the reptile survives into the future, and hopefully be returned onto the Endangered Species List.
The center says that USFWS declared the reptile extinct without conducting any focused surveys on the animal in its native habitat in spite of anecdotal evidence that the snake is eating eels in the Fisheating Creek area. By declaring the snake extinct, the species is no longer afforded protections under the Endangered Species Act.
The South Florida rainbow snake is an elusive species that is rarely seen in its native habitat, which is the Fisheating Creek area in Glades County, Florida. It is known from just three specimens, the last which was collected in 1952. Little is known about the snake, though it is believed to be entirely aquatic and active only at night and feeds exclusively on the American eel. There were unconfirmed sightings of the snake in the late 1980s, but no sightings since.
(Excerpt) Read more at reptilechannel.com ...
Reward Offered for Sighting of South Florida Rainbow Snake
One less thing to worry about.
I’ll just bet Bawney Fwank can find one.
You better hope they don’t find any or the entire state of Florida will be declared a habitat.
My wife hates the things, even if it was the last mating pair on earth she would grab a shovel and chop them into little pieces while screaming.
Striking color. That would make a nice belt. If you see one, let me know.
Just a ploy by the DFG to find, arrest, and confiscate all property from the “violators”.
I personally don't give a crap about snakes becoming extinct, when the Country is going to Hell in a hand-basket.
Its a pickled specimen. A live one is breathtaking. Not called a Rainbow Snake for nothing.
I belive they feed mainly on aquatic salamenders like Amphiuma, missnamed “Congo” Eels - very ugly and very nasty amphibians with a wicked bite.
Farancia is a semi-aquatic fossial species, very secretive, so it very well might still be around South Florida - hopefully.
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farancia
“I personally don’t give a crap about snakes becoming extinct, when the Country is going to Hell in a hand-basket.”
Fine. But the two pursuits are not mutually exclusive.
I like animals and I regret it when any species becomes extinct. Its a loss that can’t be replaced and every species is a potential source of many items of use to humans - both practical and esthetic.
I got a nice belt and hatband that looks JUST LIKE THAT!
Ok, just kidding.
Whadda ya expect with a gay snake?!?!?
Do you have to bring the whole snake in, or just the head?
99% of all species that have ever inhabited the planet are extinct.
So we really all are the 1 percenters.
yeah right, like anyone will bite on a 500 dollar reward for that. No one will admit to seeing one if it is on their own property. Too much to lose.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a non-profit, but it is the same group that caused all the Spotted Owl controversy a few years ago.
They have a Center for Snake Conservation? Time to defund the agency.
Simply tell them you saw one slithering around in your rude and obnoxious neighbor’s yard.
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