On April 19th, we took a trip to the Donnelly Wildlife Management Center, and it was a great day for herping. One of my favorite specimens that we found was a black racer, which is also known as Coluber constrictor. This was clearly an adult, as juveniles are not as dark as adults. It was between two and three feet long. Also, another characteristic that stands out was the smell. When these snakes are scared they emit a musk, which has a very strong smell. They eat a variety of smaller animals, which includes frog, lizards, or rodents. Their habitat is varied, but they are generally found on the outskirts of wetlands. This is similar to where we found it. They are rather aggressive and will not hesitate to bite, as multiple people found out.
(Caitlin Bergen SC)
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