3.8 Reptiles
3.8.1.2 Snakes Tere are 37 species of snakes native to North Carolina. Snakes can be found from the mountains to the coast, but the highest diversity and the most imperiled species occur in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain. Most species are quite secretive. Some remain abundant (e.g., Eastern Worm Snake), while others are becoming increasingly rare (e.g., Northern Pine Snake). Six snake species in the state are venomous, including three species of rattle- snakes, the Eastern Cottonmouth, the Copperhead, and the Eastern Coral Snake.
Inventory and monitoring surveys for reptile species are conducted statewide, at both historical and new locations. Tese survey eforts have yielded new occurrence records for many reptile species, including the Timber Rattlesnake, Corn Snake, Mole Kingsnake, and several others. Several species are the focus of more intense survey, research, and monitoring eforts in addition to passive surveys, including the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Southern Hognose Snake, and Northern Pine Snake.
Timber Rattlesnake (Jef Hall, NCWRC)
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are listed as State endangered in North Carolina. Tis species once occurred throughout much of the Coastal Plain, but populations have been drastically reduced. Historically, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes were found in 13 counties, but since 2005, detections have only come from three counties, with all but three specimens found in a single county. Habitat loss and fragmentation due to development and silviculture are some of the biggest reasons for these declines, as well as road mortality and outright killing. Another signifcant issue for the Eastern Diamondback Rattleskake is limited refugia. Refugium sites are limited to tree stumps, as many of the other refugia used by this species in other parts of its range are absent in North Carolina—no Gopher Tortoise, armadillo, or Pocket Gopher burrows. Stumps that are large enough for use by an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake are uncommon across the landscape. Winter temperatures are likely an important factor in limiting the distribution of the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. Tus, any limits on potential refugia may have an even bigger impact on the species. Recent work on stump-dependent species has shown great promise in the creation of artifcial stump holes, and this work will continue.
Monitoring of Southern Hognose Snakes, a State Species of Special Concern, has been ongoing for more than 25 years in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain. Tese snakes are
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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