Draft Recovery Plan For Pine Snake Available

The draft recovery plan for the Louisiana pinesnake is now available. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s goal is to help this species thrive once again and remove it from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

A key part of the strategy to help the Louisiana pinesnake recover is to continue the partner-led captive breeding and reintroduction efforts in the Kisatchie National Forest Catahoula District. In areas where partners have reintroduced the snake, there has been success.

“Since the reintroduction of the Louisiana pinesnake, we have seen evidence of survival and reproduction of captive bred snakes in the wild,” said Service biologist David Castellanos. “Having that evidence of reproduction means that they’re not only surviving but thriving.”

The Service is also exploring new ways to expand these efforts and make an even bigger impact.

The Louisiana pinesnake is an egg-laying, non-venomous constrictor found in western and central Louisiana and eastern Texas. The Service listed it as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in April 2018, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation. Critical habitat for the Louisiana pinesnake was proposed in October 2022.

The Service strives for transparency and collaboration, which is why the draft recovery plan is available for review. The Service welcomes input as it works with its partners to help the Louisiana pine snake thrive once again.

The draft recovery plan is available for download at the following websites:

https://www.fws.gov/program/recovery/recovery-plans

https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/4092

For a mailed copy, send a request to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506.

To ensure consideration, the Service must receive written comments on this draft recovery plan by January 8, 2024. However, the Service will accept information about any species at any time. Submit comments:

By U.S. mail to David Castellanos, Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506

By email to:  lafayette@fws.gov