Fort Worth Zoo
Regardless of the stigma many people may feel when it comes to the subject of snakes, they too deserve as much of a chance to survive as any other living creature. It’s for this very reason that the Fort Worth Zoo recently released 55 Louisiana Pine Snakes into the Kisatchie National Forest in — you guessed it — Louisiana.
The Louisiana Pine Snake is one of the rarest species of snakes in North America, and the Fort Worth Zoo is one of only four breeding centers for this species,” according to a release. This was the Zoo’s seventh annual release and the most snakes released in one year.
The Fort Worth Zoo participates in several breeding programs that help maintain a healthy, diverse population of specific species. The Zoo provides hatchlings for release back into its native habitat to establish a self-sustaining population. The hatchlings were released into the Kisatchie National Forest, in a restored and maintained area within its historic range where the species has long been extirpated.
More than 90 percent of the snake’s historic habitat is gone, making it one of the most endangered snakes in North America. The population is threatened by logging and wood harvesting in its forest habitat. Additionally, snakes are an important part of the ecosystem, since they act as a natural pest control.