Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know many of you are as "Z" crazy as I am. If so you have been keeping track of your Lampropeltis zonata sightings over the years or can recall at ease to brag to other herpers, here is a chance to pool that collected knowledge. I am currently piecing together a thesis at the University of California Santa Cruz on this topic that will hopefully bring to light certain flaws in current L. zonata policies in California.

My goal is to define the range and the sites of aggregation for the California mountain kingsnake partnered with current population data. I will then compare the state policies, range, and when possible population of 3 species of California snakes to Lampropeltis zonata: California common kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus californiae), California subspecies of the rosy boa (Lichanura trivirgata), and California subspecies of the gopher snake (Pituophis melanoleucus).

I am trying to make the information as complete as possible so, what I am looking for is your sighting information. I understand that you want to protect the regions that you have discovered. All I am asking is for you to list the:

County/Mountain Range (or river bed)/ elevation/ time of year/ and size of the individual.

This amount of information will not compromise your site and will greatly assist me in my research. Please email me or reply to this post if you think you can help or if you have any questions about my research.

As for my experience I am currently feeding and breeding a L. zonata colony on the UCSC campus with around 200 snakes from localities all over Northern and Southern California. I already have a pretty good grasp of where they are but every new locality addition is as valuable as the first.

PLEASE ONLY FACTUAL RESPONSES, it will not help the cause to have false data incorporated into the project.

Hi there
Yea since sighting my first zonota in 67 here's my list. I saw my only L.z.z in the sugarloaf mtns in 67 (swiming across a creek!) I've seen countless multicincta above Bass lake over the years mostly at 4000 feet. Also many at 6000 way past Shaver Lake. Last year I saw 4 crossing roads at dusk at the area above Shaver. I live in Santa Cruz as well and in my mind I counted 24 Coastals since 2000. These were usualy found under trash(tarps metal) at either friends property or out in the field. Ive also seen them in rock piles just this spring.
I'd love to see your breeding colony there sometime. I'm a full time student so I don't keep and breed anything for the time being, but have worked with many of the non- native lampropeltis including agalma. I was a keeper at the Roeding Park(now Chafee) zoo Reptile House from 80 to 82 for Ron Tremper.

Thank you, I have sent you a personal message