Dozens of snakes were returned to their native Florida habitat in an effort to bring back the area’s natural balance.
A total of 41 eastern indigo snakes, the longest snake species in the US, were returned to nature by researchers at the 8th annual Eastern indigo snake release.
The reptiles were deposited at the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve in Bristol, Florida, play “a vital role in the circle of life here,” James Bogan Jr., the director of Central Florida Zoo’s Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation, told the Miami Herald.
Eastern indigo snakes, which are native to the southeast US, eat venomous and nonvenomous snakes, as well as other wildlife.
The predators help to balance the ecosystem.
The snakes measure 5 to 7 feet in length, but some are known to reach over 8 feet.
The two-year-old snakes were all bred by the Orianne Center, the only captive breeding facility for the species.
The April 30 event marked the largest release of the species in one year, the zoo said.
In total, 167 snakes have been released at the preserve since the effort began.
“It is wonderful to see these young indigos have the opportunity to fill their important role as a lynchpin species in the longleaf pine ecosystem,” Bogan said.
