After nearly 30 years, Audubon Zoo sends 14 rare Louisiana pine snakes back to the wild

After nearly three decades of conservation work, the Audubon Zoo has released 14 Louisiana pine snakes back into their native habitat, a rare piece of good news for one of North America's rarest snakes.

The release in Kisatchie National Forest earlier this month marks another step in a long-running recovery effort.

What happened?

As part of the Louisiana Pine Snake Recovery Program, Audubon Zoo returned 14 endangered Louisiana pine snakes to the wild on Wednesday, June 3, according to WGNO. The animals were hatched at the zoo through a joint conservation initiative focused on rebuilding the species' wild numbers.

For nearly 30 years, Audubon has helped work on the species' recovery. At the zoo, the herpetology team cares for 21 adult Louisiana pine snakes in a breeding colony, and the young they produce are eventually released into the natural habitat.

Including this release, 58 Louisiana pine snakes have now been sent back into the wild by the zoo. All of the snakes were fitted with microchips so they can be individually identified if encountered again.

Why is it important?

The species once ranged across western Louisiana and eastern Texas, but longleaf pine habitat in that area was severely damaged by poor land management over the past century, WGNO detailed. 

Pocket gophers are the snake's main prey, underscoring its place within the longleaf pine ecosystem.

What are people saying?

"Louisiana pine snakes are an essential part of the longleaf pine ecosystem that is also home to pocket gophers, their primary food source," said Audubon Zoo senior herpetology keeper Mallory McKinney in a news release, per WGNO. "Supporting Louisiana pine snake conservation and habitat management of these areas helps native species thrive."

The species is classified as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.