Dozens of rare indigo snakes released in Florida to battle invasive species | FOX 51 Gainesville
Expand / Collapse search
☰

Dozens of rare indigo snakes released in Florida to battle invasive species

By
Published  May 14, 2025 7:27pm EDT
Lake County
FOX 35 Orlando
Florida officials release dozens of snakes to eat invasive snakes

Florida officials release dozens of snakes to eat invasive snakes

State officials have released dozens of Indigo Snakes into the wild in The Florida Panhandle. Indigo Snakes are large natural predators and local biologists say they were released to help kill off invasive snake species which will help balance the ecosystem. FOX 35's Randi Hildreth has more from the Orianne Center in Lake County.

The Brief

    • Forty-two eastern indigo snakes were released in North Florida to combat invasive species.
    • Bred in Central Florida, the snakes help control rodents and venomous snakes.
    • Biologists say signs of wild reproduction show the program is working.

EUSTIS, Fla. - State officials have released dozens of rare indigo snakes into the wild in the Florida Panhandle. Indigo Snakes are large natural predators and local biologists say they can assist in killing off an invasive snake species to help balance the ecosystem.

‘They eat anything that moves in front of them’

What we know:

Forty-two eastern indigo snakes have been released into the wild in North Florida as part of an ongoing conservation effort. 

The snakes, which are native and non-venomous, were bred and raised at the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation in Eustis, Lake County. This marks the ninth year of such releases and the largest single release to date. The goal is to control invasive species and restore ecological balance.

What we don't know:

While the snakes have started reproducing in the wild, it’s still unclear how many of them survive long-term or how effective they are at fully reestablishing their presence across historic habitats. It’s also uncertain how soon biologists might expand the program to additional areas beyond North Florida and South Alabama.

The backstory:

Eastern indigo snakes were listed as endangered in 1978 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after suffering severe population losses due to habitat destruction caused by development. For nearly a decade, state and federal agencies have partnered with conservation centers to breed and reintroduce them to native habitats.

The reintroduction of eastern indigo snakes plays a key role in balancing ecosystems by reducing populations of smaller predators and invasive species, including venomous snakes. While some residents might recoil at the idea of more snakes, biologists emphasize their ecological importance. Central Florida, home to the conservation center, is contributing significantly to this broader environmental restoration.

What they're saying:

This year’s release is part of an annual effort that began nine years ago, conservationists said. Those 42 snakes were bred and hatched right here in Central Florida at the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation in Eustis. This year's batch was the most released at one time.

"They're a large natural predator for the animals where they live," said Michelle Hoffman, a field biologist at the Orianne Center. "They eat anything that moves in front of them including birds, small rodents, other venomous snakes. So they help to balance the ecosystems."

Over the years, Hoffman said the have been killed or driven out as homes and roads were built. 

"[They] suffered decline mainly due to habitat destruction," Hoffman added.

Efforts to bring back the population appear to be working. Staff at the Orianne Center showed us snake eggs they're carefully monitoring for future releases and say in the last few years snakes have started to reproduce in the wild. 

"In 2023 we found two hatchlings from animals we produced on site," she said. "[That] tells us they're surviving, finding each other, reproducing, and forming self-sustaining populations."

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Lake CountyWild NatureNewsNews