News
News about garter snakes, from the latest in scientific research to conservation news to unusual human-snake confrontations, from around the Web.
- Wisconsin De-Lists Butler’s Garter Snake
- News, Last week, in a controversial but long-expected move, Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources removed the Butler’s Garter Snake from the state’s list of endangered and protected species, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports (mirror). The Board voted 7-0 to remove the garter… »
- Federal Charges for Bringing Garter Snakes to Alaska
- News, While fighting fires in Idaho last summer, Fairbanks resident Matthew Mayo and his pals fooled around with the local snakes and lizards in their downtime, because they didn’t have that kind of wildlife back in Alaska. When it came time… »
- Garter Snakes in the Yard
- News, In this short video, Dennis Ferraro of the University of Nebraska—Lincoln’s extension program offers some advice for people who don’t want garter snakes on their property. (Strange people, I know.) Basically, mow your lawn and keep your yard clutter-free…. »
- Garter Snakes Emerge in Saskatchewan Hospital
- News, About half a dozen garter snakes have turned up in the hospital in Herbert, Saskatchewan, a small town of between 700 and 800 people about 200 km west of Regina, the Canadian Press reports (Regina Leader-Post, Toronto Star). The snakes… »
- Springtime for Garter Snakes, 2013 Edition
- News, I know it’s spring because the garter snakes are out. Once again, I’ve assembled a gallery of photos on Flickr showing this spring’s emergence of our favourite reptile. It’s still a work in progress: it’s still mid-April, I’m still looking… »
- What Does Male Courtship Behaviour Look Like?
- News, This brief video shows a mating pair of Santa Cruz Garter Snakes (Thamnophis atratus) owned by John Campbell, and is an excellent example of the early phases of male courtship behaviour. If your male garter snake is doing this… »
- Butler’s Garter Snake to Lose Protected Status in Wisconsin
- News, “The Butler’s garter snake is among 16 birds, plants and other animals recommended for removal from the list of endangered or threatened species” by Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources, the Capital Times reports. The Butler’s Garter Snake’s presence on prime… »
- New Research into Prey Recognition
- News, A paper published in PLOS ONE last year explores the role that proteins called parvalbumins, found in the skin mucous of several amphibian and fish species, play in chemosensory prey detection among two garter snakes (Checkered and Common) and one… »
- New Study Splits Off Mexican Narrow-headed Garters into New Species
- News, A 2011 research paper published in Molecular Biology concludes, based on genetic evidence, that the Mexican populations of Narrow-headed Garter Snakes represent distinct evolutionary lineages — that is to say, separate species. Populations in southwestern Durango had already been classed… »
- Sarnia Asked to Take in Butler’s Garters
- News, City councillors in Sarnia, Ontario are being asked to take in a population of Butler’s Garter Snakes from the neighbouring village of Point Edward, the Sarnia Observer reports. The snakes, endangered in Ontario, were found on land slated for redevelopment;… »
- Golfers and Garter Snakes to Share Sharp Park
- News, The long-running dispute over Sharp Park (see previous entry), a golf course in Pacifica owned by the city of San Francisco that is home to the endangered San Francisco Garter Snake and California Red-legged Frog, was settled by a federal… »
- Newfoundland Garter Snake Population Persisting
- News, Garter snakes found on the southwest coast of Newfoundland may be there to stay, a provincial ecologist tells the Telegram, possibly thanks to milder than normal winters. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has no native snakes; it’s presumed these… »
- Funds Awarded to Study Imperiled Texas Garter Snake
- Three Baby Garter Snakes Rescued from Road-killed Mother
- Wildfire Threatens Endangered Garter Snakes
- ‘Mildly Venomous’ Clarified
- SF Garter Featured on Freeway Pillar Mural
- Narcisse Garter Snakes Out Early
- Volunteers Survey Northernmost Garter Snake Population
- Seven New Subspecies of Mexican Garter Proposed in 2003
- Estrogen Activates Female Pheromone Production in Male Garter Snakes
- New Research into Red Garter Snakes
- The Cost of Evolving Toxin Resistance
- Two-Headed Albino Garter Snake Steals Basel Show
- Idaho House For Sale, Free Garter Snakes Included
- Newfoundland Garter Snakes
- Manitoba Garter Snakes in Autumn
- Spring Photos of Garter Snakes, 2010 Edition
- Merced to Create Giant Garter Snake Habitat, Snakes Hopefully Will Arrive Later
- Three New Mexican Garter Snake Species Described in 2005
- A New Plan for Sharp Park Golf Course and the San Francisco Garter
- The Best Garter Snake Photos of the Year
- Garter Snakes Invade Seniors’ Home in Manitoba
- Three Evolutionary Routes to Newt Toxin Immunity
- Giant Garter Snake Population Rediscovered
- Golf Course Targeted for Garter Snake Habitat Restoration
- SF Examiner on the Narcisse Snake Dens
- Narcisse Garter Snakes Will Be Late This Year
- Volunteers Monitor Calgary Park Garter Snake Population
- Fate of San Francisco Garter Snake Depends on Frog
- Garter Snakes Win Arms Race with Newts
- Children’s Books About Garter Snakes
- Garter Snake Bites Man, Cops Issue Advisory
- Seven Wonders of Canada: Narcisse Snake Dens
- A Visit to a Manitoba Snake Den
- Snakes in a Bathroom, Residence Foundation Patched
- Bangor Daily News Interviews Robert Mason
- Wisconsin DNR Reduces Areas for Butler’s Garter
- Garter Snakes Absorb Newt Toxins as a Defence Against Birds
- Developer, Snakes Swap Land for Subdivisions, Habitat
- Cabin Tenant Kills Garter Snakes, Sues Landlord
- Garter Snake Now Massachusetts State Reptile
- Butler’s Garter Won’t Be De-Listed in Wisconsin
- Butler’s Garter Controversy Goes National
- Snakes in a Graveyard
- Snakes in a Basement
- Mexican Garter Snake Denied ESA Protection
- Pheromones and Garter Snakes
- Massachusetts to Name Garter Snake as State Reptile
- Legislature Threatens to De-List Butler’s Garter
- Snakes … in a Car!
- Largest Red-sided Garter Captured
- Listing the Mexican Garter as Endangered
- Garter Snakes Emerge in Manitoba
- Garter Snakes Emerge in Northwest Territories
- Butler’s Garters an Obstacle to Hospital Construction
- Mori Point Environmental Assessment Released
- USFWS to Review Mexican Garter Snake
- Manitoba Garter Snake Road Mortality Reduced
- Garter Snake Found in Alaska
- USFWS Will Consider Protecting Mexican Garter Snake
- Wyoming Resident Complains About Garter Snakes in Yard
- San Francisco Garter Snakes Return to SF Zoo
- Conservation Group Sues USFWS over Garter Snake Status
- Environmental Triage for Butler’s Garters in Wisconsin
- Sacramento Airport Buys 300 Acres of Giant Garter Habitat
- Narcisse Garter Snakes Out Early
- Newts, Garter Snakes Engaged in Toxic Arms Race at Molecular Level
- Highway Project Includes Ecopassages for Butler’s Garters
- Sewerage District, Construction Firm Face Charges for Disturbing Butler’s Garter Habitat
- San Francisco Garter Focus of Mori Point Open House
- Northern Ribbon Snakes Discovered in Quebec
- Garter Snakes Infest Illinois Neighbourhood
- Checkered Garter Stolen from Community Farm