"In a study of Bogertophis subocularis thermal biology conducted in west Texas, the snakes were released in a locality foreign to the snakes. Several of these snakes apparently ended up being food for predatory birds."



I'm willing to bet that several snakes (regardless of species) end up being eaten by predatory birds (and badgers, skunks, etc) and have had no contact with humans ever.



So what we have here is that birds eat snakes released in a foreign locality and birds eat snakes that were never released anywhere. I have no doubt in my mind that plenty of "nuisance" snakes that are released do end up surviving. I recall someone mentioning that the larger, heavy bodied snakes (ie, atrox and Heterodon) are particularly at risk for relocation. But then you just remind them that there are Burmese pythons and boa constrictors in Florida (definitely heavy bodied snakes and definitely not a range extension).
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