Conservation

In 2003, the ESRF supported, a research project on the threatened queen snake of southern Ontario. The goal was to gather long-term data desperately needed to prevent this slim water snake from becoming endangered, or ultimately, extinct in Canada.

Although there have been informal sightings, statistics have not been thoroughly collected on the queen snake population in the past. It is believed that only ten pockets of queen snakes remain in Canada. This research team attempted to fill in the data gaps that threaten the species’ long-term survival. The team focused on the critical habitat needs of this species.

Habitat characteristics were surveyed at sites where queen snakes had been spotted before. Queen snakes were found in areas with the following features:

• rocky shores
• moderate river current
• abundance of crayfish (the primary food source for queen snakes)
• flat floodplain and vegetation buffers on each side of the river

During habitat surveys, researchers looked under 10,919 rocks and recorded 111 snake sightings (which includes multiple sightings of the same snakes, e.g. on different days); 41 queen snakes in total were captured and recorded.

The queen snake is at risk in Canada. It will take many years of research in order to gather enough data to keep the species from disappearing. Thankfully, projects such as this are working to collect the data and that will mean the difference between life or extinction.