Rare snake not seen in Vermont for 10 years slithers into spotlight

[sl8]

Last edited Tue Jun 25, 2024, 05:50 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-06-25/rare-black-racer-snake-found-southern-vermont-10-years
(3:28 min. audio at link)

Rare snake not seen in Vermont for 10 years slithers into spotlight

Vermont Public | By Howard Weiss-Tisman
Published June 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM EDT



Cindy Sprague/Courtesy
Luke Groff, a herpetologist at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, holds a black racer snake that was found in Guilford.

As far as wildlife biologists go, Molly Parren has had a pretty good run recently.

Parren, who was out tracking wood turtles last month in Addison County, took a photo that ultimately — and surprisingly — helped botanist Grace Glynn identify a rare plant that hadn’t been seen in Vermont for a hundred years.

[...]

Luke Groff, a herpetologist at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, said the black racer is more common farther south. It’s not on the threatened list in Massachusetts, but it’s a big part of his focus in southern Vermont.

“So I try to get out here,” Groff said. “We have volunteers that check the site. Some of the land managers check the site. So, try to get out several times a year to look for the snake, but for the past 10 years we haven’t found it.”

[...]

[hlthe2b]

1. Nonvenomous black racer...

(I wish they would start all articles with the "nonvenomous" part--whether a rare snake, spider, or other--especially for the rare varieties they might like to preserve--and encourage people not to kill).

[Wonder Why]

2. A former head of state visited Vermont? Only the first time he did?