Natural History: The Eastern Indigo Snake

         While on a field trip to the South Carolina Aquarium with my herpetology class, we were able to observe and handle a variety of amphibians and reptiles. My favorite, however, was the non-venomous Eastern Indigo Snake named “Blueprint.”
        The Eastern indigo snake is the longest snake that is native to the United States being between 60 and 84 inches long. Native to Southern Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, the Eastern Indigo Snake is no longer found in the wild in South Carolina.  The snakes’ habitat and population continued to shrink due to land development and hunting until eventually, they disappeared from South Carolina altogether.
       Even though we were not able to handle Blueprint, the herpetologist hosting us at the aquarium got him out of his cage for us to see just how long Blueprint actually is. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a picture of Blueprint, but the following is a picture of one being held so its size can be appreciated:

      Aside from have an impressive size, the Eastern Indigo Snake usually has smooth scales and a robust blackish-blue body. They do not have any patterning on the belly, but rather the blackish-blue coloration completely encompasses the snake’s body. When young, the snake will have a more reddish-orange head and throat, and sometimes this lighter throat can carry into adulthood:

        The Eastern Indigo Snake is a carnivore whose diet consist of a wide variety of small animals. These snakes are also known for eating other snakes, even venomous ones like Copperheads and Rattlesnakes. They are also known for imitating rattlesnakes by shaking their tails when faced with danger.
       Getting to see Blueprint was a treat, not only because he is such an impressive animal, but because he represents a species that has been driven out of a large area because of human involvement. These beautiful snakes help keep venomous snake populations under control and lend to the ecological diversity of their habitats. If we are not more careful about where we develop our communities and do not educate others about the value of having snakes around instead of letting people kill them out of fear, other populations will vanish from South Carolina just like that of the Eastern Indigo Snake.