Endangered Eastern Indigo Snakes released in liberty County

 The eastern indigo snake is being reintroduced to northern Florida.

The eastern indigo snake has been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1978.

The indigo can grow to be between 8 and 9 feet long, and is the longest native snake in the U.S.

The indigo was largely eliminated from northern Florida due to habitat loss and fragmentation - the species was last seen in the Liberty County preserve in 1982.

A number of groups, including The Nature Conservancy, Auburn University, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the US Fish and Wildlife Service came together this week to release the snakes at The Nature Conservancy’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve in Liberty County.

This week's release included 12 young snakes, 8 males and 4 females which were raised by the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation.

The snakes have been implanted with radio transmitters by the Central Florida Zoo to allow for the tracking and monitoring of the snakes. 

This reintroduction is the first of ten planned events, and conservationists plan on releasing 30 snakes per year.

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