Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi
I have seen close to every type of snake there is here in Florida but never an Indigo .
Recently we saw an Indigo road kill after 18 yrs(huge black ) are they found only in Everglades areas ?
We saw this one right on outskirts of glades park . Initially thought solid black boa as was big .
Why are they endangered if so big and imagine no predators ?

Thanks

No,I have not been so fortunate to see one. Acutally, they have a lot of predators, and perhaps Indigos are one of those creatures that just doesn't do great when development comes to their habitat. Consider a new road, and how many road kill animals, a few a year might over time eliminate most of the indigos in a given population. How about loose,ornery dogs that kill for sport,and feral and pet cats that kill neonates? And ignorant people? Even barn yard chickens and turkeys will kill and eat small snakes. Birds of prey? I think development has tipped the balance and Indigos are being reduced, especially in the upland, sandy hill areas that both developers and Indigos seem to favor.

Oh your right I never thought of the feral cats eating the babies . Yes lots feral cats here .
Funny thing is no one including Floridas wildlife org wants to ever adress the feral cat issue

Julie, you are so-o-o right about feral cat issue. Removing them is probably one of the single best things a regular person could do to assist/enhance wildlife. But the politics are profound, you may have heard about that birder in Texas who was recently tried. Habitat is so important and dissapearing at an alarming rate. Indigos have large ranges, they just don't seem to endure our modern development regime...
You might enjoy the pamphlet: The Eastern Indigo Snake...A Natural History by D.E. Krown, Longwind Press and Turtlenest In the Park c/o Gainesville, Fla 32614-0935 a fund raiser book I think, about $10.00 when I bought it in '04.

Thanks I looked in Amazon.com they dont have it infact sold out on ALL indigo books.

I will look for it if you have a website that would be great .

Yes the feral cats here are ALL OVER . People just dont spay them and the just keep putting out more kittens .

There is an area by the beach thats closed off to the public as think turtles lay eggs there either way its some type animal sanctuary . Last yr we went as far as you could go before sign says "No tresspassers" to take pictures and counted 15 cats in 2 hours .
If nothing else I would atleast hope for mandatory spay laws for cats in Florida

Vick thanks for the info will call . I agree with what you said.

Would have just emailed you back but you said it wasnt your email. Either way thanks again as the book was out of print nothing available and my dad wanted a copy as did I .

Thanks

Juile

Sterilizing our environment is what we do as humans. No bugs in our salad, no mice in our houses. The Indigo is just a snake that in 10 years or so will be gone except for captive collections. I do not care that that statement got the blood flowing, the effort to save them is just a Band-Aid on a severed limb. The chemical companies and other big money have bought out higher learning institutions as they bulldoze the glades and spray their sterilizing agent.

Optimist pessimist (reality) wake up the real world is ruled by money. Since I cannot name names without getting my post pulled why don’t you research who gives the most money in scholarships and donations to our future presidential candidates and post it!
-----
"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Thanks for the links. The gvmt is just as bad if not worse with their contracts. Few yrs back they sprayed what was "safe" pesticides in my friends area in long Island NY .
It was for mosquitoes found in marshes . She had woods by her house full of amphibians and fish in the marshes,etc.
Either way after the second time the state sprayed . The amphibians which she saw every spring,summer were gone . A pond loaded with neat salamanders and toads every spring year was barren and no marsh fish to be found and no small water type snakes .
She has written newspapers,etc think she got some letters printed but the animals are gone (actually its the amphibians,small fish,reptiles which are gone the mammals are still around)

It is not so much the government as it is the complacency of people like you and me as they do it. Here in Kansas our wildlife is disappearing at a rapid pace as I watch, kina frustrating to see massive amounts of wildlife just vanishing. The link was just to make you realize that big money bulldozes huge tracts of land legally while us breeders are raked over the coals trying to get permits to breed the snakes. There is an imbalance of the powers and you had a valid question.

I am angry but not at you it is the complacency of the general public when it comes to decimating wildlife. I am not an activist nor do I side with them. I just get frustrated when big money buys off the politicians and the damage is done before we know what happened. I am sorry it seems like I took my frustration out on you.

I hope and pray it will all turn around but I am not going to hold my breath. Again I am sorry if my response to your query seemed a bit strong…………..Bill
-----
"Life without risk is to merely exist."

No your responce didnt upset/offend me at all. I agree with it.
If you dont like to see big money buy off politicians and natural land being bought up for golf courses,etc than dont come to Florida ESP Miami lol

Thanks, at least I am not alone.
-----
"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Here is a link that might help you
Conservation

-----
"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Here is one more for you
Nice People

-----
"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Indigos cover large ranges of territory. Florida has become so developed that there aren't many areas where indigos can roam without being killed by cars or bulldozers clearing the places they live.

Thats true. For some reason I thought Indigos only in Glades never thought of them in other parts.
There was a big wild area around here real nice lots turtles,other snakes,etc now its on its way to becoming another golf course . The population here certainly has grown and more to follow

I lived in the Tampa Bay area for over 30 years and saw over a hundred Indigos (average about five a year) Most of the indigos I saw were on private property that was used for cattle ranching, and when the State purchased the properties to make them "wildlife sanctuaries" the indigos seemed to become far less common. Whether or not this is a "fact" or just "appearance", I do not know. I do know though, that the ones I did see, were far less healthy after the State purchased the property as to when the ranchers used it. I believe that this is the result of vegetation being allowed to grow and making the terrain less suitable then what the indigos preferred. While there has been a decline in the last thirty years...there are still places that they (indigos)seem to still be holding there own.

We have some farms around here for cows and potatoes some palm tree farms to.
I would have thought they were to wide open for snakes except the palm tree farms . Would have thought cow farms wouldnt be good for snakes as only few trees mostly just plains .

I caught one back in the early 70's in Hillsborough state park near Tampa. It was a beautiful adult.

The entire Hillsborough river drainage system from route 52 in Pasco county down to north Temple Terrace is still all good indigo habitat. Haven't been there in several years though, but if one spent alot of time hiking in those areas during the right time of the day, indigo sightings are not uncommon.

Thanks I am going to see if my dad wants to go as he likes them like I do granted neither of us have ever seen a live one but we like to go nature picture taking

Would never have thought one could be caught thought to fast . I have never seen a live one only a road kill but the corns,rats I have seen were way to fast

St John's County spring '06. On a small undeveloped plot between 2 multi million dollar homes on water front property! Lot also held gopher torts, edb's and racerunners as well as a ton of rabbits.
-----
www.gradeareptiles.com

About 15 years ago RobRoy MacInnes took my brother and I herping and on the same night we saw 2 indigos on Alligator Alley. He made it sound as if it was that was no uncommon feat.

The only Indigo I've seen in the wild, I was lucky enough to photograph. It was at Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area off of Hwy. 441... north of Yeehaw Junction.

A magnificent sight for sure. I still feel very lucky...

Development has SEVERELY decimated the Indigo population where I live... St. Lucie County. However, I've got friends in my Herp Society that have found and photographed an Indigo or two in the last year or so.

The key is, find a undeveloped area that is HUGE (hard to do) and find the high ground. Once you've found gopher tortoise burrows in good numbers... Indigos can't be too far away.