Detecting Rare Snakes Using Environmental DNA (eDNA)

We are excited to share our latest publication in Environmental DNA! This collaborative study, conducted with partners from the Rocky Mountain Research Station, the Central Florida Zoo’s Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas A&M University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, explores a novel method for detecting Eastern Indigo Snakes using environmental DNA (eDNA).

Eastern Indigo Snakes (Drymarchon couperi), the longest native snake in the United States, are federally threatened and notoriously challenging to detect in the wild. This makes monitoring their populations and managing their habitats particularly difficult. By identifying DNA shed by snakes into sandy environments, our research provides a groundbreaking approach to address these challenges.

Our study involved experiments with captive Eastern Indigo Snakes housed at the OCIC, where we examined how factors like exposure time and sampling duration influenced the detection of eDNA. Remarkably, we found that indigo snakes could be detected after as little as two minutes of soil contact, and in some cases, their presence was still detectable up to 10 days later. These results demonstrate the potential for eDNA to significantly extend the detection window for this species in its natural habitats.

Supported by the Department of Defense’s Legacy Resource Management Program, this research offers a powerful new tool for land managers and conservationists working to safeguard Eastern Indigo Snakes and other elusive species. By improving population monitoring and habitat management, this method can help target conservation efforts more effectively, ensuring a brighter future for this iconic species.