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OCH BLOG

Isaac Orozco

Invasive Watersnakes in California

There are hundreds of reptiles that can be found all over the world, but there is one that seems to always strike fear into people, and that is snakes! While it is reasonable to have a fear of snakes, most of them are non-venomous and almost all of them keep to themselves and are more afraid of us than we are of them. Plenty of snakes can be found in California, but there are actually two invasive species of snakes that have found a home in the golden state and have been documented by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. These two species are actually related as they share the same genus, the Nerodia fasciata and Nerodia sipdeon.


The N.sipedeon, also known as the northern water snake, is an invasive species to California and can be normally found in the eastern United States in states such as South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. They prefer freshwater habitats such as ponds and wetlands and usually relax in the sun in shallow water areas. When these serpents aren't basking in the sunlight they prefer to hide under logs or in between rocks but never stray too far from their water source.


As of now, the northern water snake has been reported in multiple parts of the city of Roseville and commonly in Kaseberg Creek, Placer County. These snakes have a length range of between 2 and 4 ½ feet. Their main body colors are known to be brown, gray, slightly red or brown with black. Along with their main colors they also have dark crossbands located on their neck and blotches spread throughout their body. Their underbelly is a much different color as it can be either white, yellow, or gray with the presence of reddish or black crescents. In addition to this distinctive coloration, they can also be identified by their slim body type and flattened head.


The other invasive water snake, N. Fasciata, also known as the southern watersnake  is native to the southeastern portion of the United States in states such as Florida, North Carolina, and even the southern area of Illinois. Similar to the northern water snakes, they prefer to live in aquatic environments such as ponds, lakes, and wetlands just to name a few. Basking in the sun is also a shared trait as they relax alongside the shore of their home. One significant difference between these two species is that the southern water snake will travel on land for over a mile to search for a meal.


When it comes to identifying the southern water snakes, they have both some similarities and differences to the northern water snakes. First, there are three different subspecies of the southern water snake - banded, broadbanded, and the florida. All three have crossbands that extend the whole length of their body and they possess a dark stripe that goes from their eye to the corner of their mouth. The body color and cross band colors of these depend on the subspecies, but they vary between black, brown, tan, or red for the cross bands and black, brown, yellow-brown, tan, gray or red for their body color. One distinguishable trait that is present on the southern water snakes that is not on the northern water snake is that their underbellies contain dark, square or triangular spots, occasionally with wavy crosslines.


Southern water snakes have a diverse diet ranging from the consumption of turtles, fish, birds, amphibians, and even other snakes. Along with this wide diet, they have a high reproduction rate and adaptability to go outside of their normal area of water and outcompete native species for resources. Currently the southern watersnake can be found in Sacramento, Yolo, and Los Angeles counties where they have established themselves near water sources in those areas such as the Sacramento river and Lake Machado. 


As much as people like to keep snakes as pets, both the northern and southern water snakes are not usually kept as pets mostly due to their temperament and displeasing odor. This could possibly be the reason why they were introduced into California by pet owners who had released them either purposely or by accident. 


These species of nerodia became listed as restricted species in California and therefore regulated with a permit required in order to import, transport, or possess one of these creatures. The reason for the regulation is due to the fact that they are predominantly scouring the freshwater sources for food which threatens the native populations of fish and amphibian species that are residing in the area. Not only are they affecting the population of prey, but they can also create competition between the native snakes that live here such as garter snakes and most importantly the giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas), which is a threatened species due to a number of factors such as habitat loss and water pollution. Regulation of these snakes is vital to the environment due to the effect they have on our ecosystems.


When it comes to encountering either the northern or southern water snake, the best course of action to take when in contact with any of these snakes is to report it to the proper authorities which is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife either by email or phone number which can be found on their website. It is imperative that these snakes be relocated properly because their effect on the native species in the areas can drastically affect the ecosystems there and cause irreparable damage.





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