During a survey of wildlife on a Caribbean island, researchers were shocked but delighted to rediscover a tiny species that was seen 20 years ago: the Barbados threadsnake.
The survey was a joint venture between the Barbados Ministry of Environment and National Beautification and Re:wild, an international nonprofit organization. Justin Springer, Re:wild's Caribbean program officer, was looking under rocks when he joked: "I smell a threadsnake."
Sure enough, there was a threadsnake wiggling underneath. Because it so closely resembles another species, the invasive Brahminy snake, they had to confirm its true identity with the aid of a microscope.
Connor Blades, an ecologist with Barbados' Ministry of Environment who took part in the survey, told the CBC's "As It Happens": "It hasn't been seen in basically two decades, so it was quite an exciting find to say the least. Probably one of the highlights of my career so far."
At around 3-4 inches long and the width of a noodle, the Barbados threadsnake is the world's smallest serpent. It's so small that it could comfortably coil around a quarter; they are blind and primarily feed on ants and termites. Their numbers have dwindled because of rampant deforestation. The Guardian reported the island has lost 98% of its forest cover since its colonization. The threadsnake has also fallen victim to predation by invasive species.
Seemingly lost species are rediscovered all the time. For example, an elusive gecko resurfaced after 30 years in South Africa, while researchers in Madagascar found a millipede not seen in over a century. Plants are also prone to popping up at the least expected times. A family in Sri Lanka stumbled on a mushroom that was presumed extinct.
While the rediscovery of the threadsnake is encouraging, the creatures are still in a vulnerable position. It will be difficult for their numbers to recover since they breed slowly, only laying one egg at a time, and are thinly dispersed, making it challenging to locate a mate. The insights gained from the survey will help form effective measures taken at the local level.
For Springer, it's a call to safeguard what remains of Barbados' forests. "The threadsnake's rediscovery is also a call to all of us as Barbadians that forests in Barbados are very special and need protection. … Not just for the threadsnake, but for other species as well. For plants, animals, and our heritage," he said.
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