The rainbow snake — an elusive Florida reptile — has been captured in several photos, leaving experts thrilled.
Last documented in 1952, the rainbow snake, or Farancia erytrogramma, is a nonvenomous species that was long thought to have vanished from parts of the state. Habitat loss and the decline of American eels have put a strain on their population. But recent reports and photos from sharp-eyed residents are giving researchers fresh hope.
“Scientists rarely find rainbow snakes in Florida. … Every sighting report gives us valuable data,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission research scientist Kevin Enge, according to USA Today.
The snake itself is striking — dark and glossy with bold red stripes and an iridescent shimmer that gives it its colorful name. While harmless to humans, it plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of wetland ecosystems.
For researchers, these sightings aren’t just about one species. They are a sign that careful management of waterways and wetlands can support the recovery of multiple animals, from snakes to eels to birds, that depend on the same habitats.
Photos from residents — and even trail cameras — can provide scientists with a significant boost. Every picture helps them learn where rare animals are living and how they’re doing. Protecting those areas doesn’t just benefit the snakes; it also keeps wetlands healthy, which in turn leads to cleaner water, improved fishing, and more stable food supplies for people.
“By sharing sightings, the public can play an important role in conserving this unique species,” the commission said, per USA Today, requesting that those who spot the elusive snake report their sighting to the online commission.
We’ve seen wins like this before. In Papua New Guinea, a British tourist stumbled across three species thought to be extinct. In Mongolia, conservation efforts rescued wild horses from the edge of extinction. These efforts demonstrate that when people take a little care and planning, wildlife have a better chance to thrive.
Seeing the rainbow snake again shows that nature is tougher than we sometimes think. Protecting wetlands doesn’t just give rare animals a chance — it makes life better for people, too.
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Southern California’s rivers and creeks once teemed with large, silvery fish that arrived from the ocean and swam upstream to spawn. But today, these fish are seldom seen.
Southern California steelhead trout have been pushed to the brink of extinction as their river habitats have been altered by development and fragmented by barriers and dams.
Their numbers have been declining for decades, and last week California’s Fish and Game Commission voted to list Southern California steelhead trout as endangered.
Conservation advocates said they hope the designation will accelerate efforts to save the fish and the aquatic ecosystems on which they depend.
“Historically, tens of thousands of these fish swam in Southern California rivers and streams,” said Sandra Jacobson, director of the South Coast region for California Trout, an organization that advocated for the listing.
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“Their numbers have dipped dangerously low due to impacts from habitat loss, fragmentation and urbanization,” Jacobson said. “This landmark decision provides critically important protections for this iconic species.”
The distinct Southern California population is one of eight varieties of steelhead trout in the state. They live in coastal waters and rivers from southern San Luis Obispo County to around the U.S.-Mexico border.
Steelheads typically grow to 2 or 3 feet and sometimes larger.
An adult steelhead trout in San Luis Rey River in northern San Diego County.
(California Department of Fish and Game)
The fish migrate upstream when winter and spring rains send high flows coursing through rivers and creeks. They travel to spawning habitats as far as 30 miles inland — as long as they don’t encounter a barrier along the way.
Unlike salmon, which are part of the same family, steelheads often spawn multiple times before they die.
Southern California steelheads were once caught by Indigenous people. In the early 20th century, anglers found that the fish were abundant in the Ventura and other rivers.
But over the past century, the Los Angeles River and other waterways were lined with concrete. Coastal marshes were hemmed in by development, and barriers and dams fragmented streams.
The Southern California steelhead population was declared endangered by the federal government in 1997. Reviews by federal and state agencies have found that the population has continued to suffer since then.
“The negative trend toward extinction has not reversed,” Jacobson said.
In a 2020 study, researchers found that there had been only 177 documented sightings of Southern California steelhead in the previous 25 years.
California Trout submitted a petition in 2021 urging the state to list the steelhead population as endangered.
Small numbers of fish continue to return to the Santa Clara and Santa Ynez rivers, as well as Malibu Creek, Topanga Creek and other streams from Santa Barbara to San Diego County.
Jacobson and other conservationists have been advocating for accelerating plans to remove obsolete dams that block fish, including Matilija Dam in the Ventura River watershed and Rindge Dam in the Malibu Creek canyon. They’ve also been seeking to expedite the removal of barriers on Trabuco Creek and the Santa Margarita River.
Other efforts to help steelhead trout include removing non-native species, reducing water diversions and groundwater pumping to ensure sufficient flows in streams and restoring watersheds’ natural ecosystems, Jacobson said.
“Southern steelhead are crucial indicators of watershed health,” Jacobson said.
She said restoring the “aquatic highways” the fish use to reach their spawning habitats will also bring benefits for people, including safeguarding sources of clean drinking water.
“I am hopeful for steelhead recovery,” Jacobson said. California’s classification of the population as endangered, she said, will help advance a state conservation plan and add urgency to the work of removing barriers in rivers.
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The steelhead trout that remain in Southern California face other threats, including warmer waters and more intense droughts and wildfires as a result of climate change.
“These are populations that are experiencing the warmest conditions, really on the leading edge of climate change effects. And then you layer on top of that just how densely populated Southern California is,” said Andrew Rypel, a professor of fish ecology and director of UC Davis’ Center for Watershed Sciences. “All of these steelhead streams in Southern California are extremely impacted.”
He said that with so many factors weighing against the steelhead trout, the additional protections could make a significant difference.
“It’s like the most challenging fish conservation issue I can imagine,” Rypel said. “How do you manage a whole landscape for fish conservation in the middle of one of the biggest urban areas in the world? It’s very challenging.”
This population of steelhead, he said, is effectively “up against the clock.”
Removal of barriers to spawning areas is key, he said.
“It’s a really cool fish. It’s a Southern California fish, and it’s up to the people of that region to watch out for it and to ensure that future generations are going to be able to watch this cool fish and protect it — and by way of doing that, protect the ecosystem.”
A new species of tarantula has been found in Thailand’s mangrove forests, and while scientists are thrilled by the discovery, there is already concern for its habitat.
Mongabay reported scientists found the electric-blue colored spider in the Phang Nga province in 2022, and the findings were published in the ZooKeys journal in September.
The arachnid was previously seen in the pet trade, but the sighting marked the first time it had been seen in the wild in Thailand.
According to expedition lead Narin Chomphuphuang, the tarantulas were seen in hollow trees, and two were captured for study.
Their unique coloring is due to nanostructures on the creature’s hairs that react to light. While black, green, yellow, and red have been seen before, this was the first in blue. Further study after the discovery has revealed this hue can be seen in at least eight different species.
But Narin is concerned about forest clearance to support the palm oil industry in the area where the spider was found.
Global Forest Watch has shown the levels of forest loss across the Khura Buri and Takua Pa regions in the last two decades, with a 13% loss of forest cover in the former and 19% in the latter during this period.
“It is essential to take these steps to prevent further declines in tarantula populations and protect them for future generations,” the study advised.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), palm oil is used in food, cosmetic products, and detergents, and it is found in around half of the packaged food products that United States residents consume.
Not only has the destruction of forests to clear space for the cultivation of oil palm trees led to habitat loss for endangered species like rhinos, elephants, and tigers, but the WWF noted the burning of land to make way for agriculture is a significant contributor to planet-warming pollution.
This human-caused deforestation led the study’s researchers to ask a few key questions, per the Pensoft blog.
“Are we unintentionally contributing to the destruction of their natural habitats, pushing these unique creatures out of their homes? Or should we advocate for the protection of mangrove forests, not only for the sake of the Electric-Blue Tarantula but also for the preservation of this remarkable jewel of the forest?”
The EU, for example, is set to enforce a new law that would fine companies profiting from deforestation. This is just one way global leaders can help stop a practice that is putting some remarkable species at risk.
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