According to the Facebook post of the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Tracy Cawson discovered the colorful 4-foot-long rainbow snake while hiking in the Ocala National Forest. She was with Rebecca Boyer when she encountered the rare snake, known for its iridescent black-blue back and red Famous for its yellow stripes.
"The Florida Museum of Natural History confirms this is the first recording of this species in Marion County since 1969," the organization wrote. The museum also says the rainbow snake is non-venomous and harmless. They speculate that recent changes in water levels in Rodman Reservoir may have forced the snakes here to leave their habitat.
Seeing a rainbow snake in Florida is significant not only because these creatures are so elusive, but also because they are thought to be extinct in the area.
The Florida Center for Biological Diversity petitioned in 2010 to protect the South Florida rainbow snake under the Endangered Species Act. In response, the next year the federal government deemed the rainbow snake extinct without conducting a thorough investigation to back up their claim, the center said. The center is also offering a $500 reward for any conclusive evidence of the animal's existence.
Ms Cauthen and Ms Boyer's sighting made it the first sighting of a rainbow snake in the area in 50 years.
