One of the programs I do with Florida Sea Grant is Restoring a Healthy Estuary. There are four focus areas within this program: improving water quality, restoring habitat, managing invasive species, and enhancing wildlife. For those who know me, they know that enhancing wildlife is near and dear to me. My major in college was vertebrate zoology and I have been monitoring and teaching about vertebrates for 40 years.
I have found that the articles I write on this topic are my most popular, particularly snakes. And I get that. Whether you love them or hate them, snakes are interesting to read about. As we roll into 2024, I thought I would do a series of articles on vertebrates I encounter as I conduct hikes/surveys on our barrier islands. From a biogeographic view, barrier islands are interesting in understanding first, how some of the animals reached the island, and second, how they survive in a sandy/dry environment that is in many ways similar to deserts.
The white quartz sand beaches of the barrier island in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
My first hike was just after the new year on the western end of Santa Rosa Island. Wintertime is cold and the ectothermic vertebrates (amphibians and reptiles) are hard to find, most going dormant this time of year. But, on sunny days when the wind is low, they can find places where they bask and stay warm. If you encounter them, they will most likely not move quickly (they are still cold) and this provides a better opportunity to view them, though their coloration is very cryptic with the environment and, with little motion, you may miss them. For the endothermic vertebrates (birds and mammals) this is their time.
On this warmer sunny January day, we spent several hours out. There was not much movement other than a variety of songbirds. Then we heard rustling in the woods under some live oak trees – it was an armadillo.
The common nine banded armadillo scurrying across the lawn.
Photo: Les Harrison
Many of us have encountered this interesting mammal. You may not have recognized it as mammal, but it is. As a lifelong resident of Pensacola, I know that prior to Hurricane Ivan there were fewer armadillos on Pensacola Beach. They were there but in low numbers. What was common at that time were striped skunks. Since Ivan I have not seen a skunk. I have asked park rangers at the Gulf Island National Seashore, and they have not seen them either. But the number of armadillos immediately increased. It seems the skunk left a niche open, and this animal took it. Some say the armadillo may have increased in population whether the skunks were there or not – that is just armadillos. So, who is this “new kid on the block” that has become so common on our islands?
Armadillos are native to central and south America. They are a smaller mammal in the Order Cingulata and related to anteaters and sloths. Mammals are divided into orders based on their dental formula (what type, and how many teeth they have). In this sense armadillos are unique. They have around 30 peg like teeth which they use to feed on insects, their larva, arachnids, snails, small vertebrates, and eggs – though reports of them raiding shorebird nests are rare. They do eat cockroaches, which many people appreciate. They acquire their food by digging into loose soil with their large claws. This is one reason they do so well on our beaches and why many homeowners dislike them – they can destroy a yard to find prey. Though they have poor eye site and hearing, which is noticeable when you encounter one, they have an excellent sense of smell.
Armadillos move relatively slowly seeking prey but when disturbed they can run quickly and swim well. They dig round burrows, which I have found many on Santa Rosa Island. Because they often share habitats with gopher tortoises, the burrows are often confused. Armadillo burrows differ in that they are completely round. With gopher tortoises the entrance is usually flat across the bottom and dome shaped across the top. Armadillos usually spend the daytime in these burrows, foraging at night with more activity near dawn and dusk (crepuscular).
One secret to their success is their reproductive rate. They breed in summer but hold off development of the embryo to allow a late winter birth. They only have one litter each year but is almost always four identical young of the same sex. This is because they develop from the same fertilized egg.
Diseases and parasites in armadillos are few compared to native mammals, rabies has not been documented. Leprosy has been documented in armadillos in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, but there have been no reports of infected ones in Florida.
The dispersal of armadillos from central to north America most likely occurred crossing the isthmus in Panama. But there are reports of the animals being released in eastern Florida beginning in the 1920s. It was noted that they were able to cross the Mississippi River in the 1920s when people began to build bridges for this new thing called the automobile. Eventually the Florida and Texas populations merged. They are dispersing north towards the Ohio Valley but are not fans of cold weather and this has been a barrier for further dispersal north. We will see what climate change will do to their range. They most likely reached our barrier islands by crossing bridges, though there are locations where the Intracoastal Waterway is narrow enough, and dredge spoil island frequent enough, they could have swam/island hoped their way over. Either way they are here.
Many dislike this creature and would like to see them gone. Some consider it an invasive species and needs to be managed. Others find them cool and enjoy seeing them. It was the only non-bird creature moving that day, despite the warmer weather, we will see what the next hike/survey will bring.
When I was hired with Florida Sea Grant, I developed an advisory committee who represented a variety of stakeholder interest in the Pensacola Bay area. I asked the committee to list their top three concerns or issues with the local marine environment so that I could have a start on where I would focus my education programs. I was expecting a variety of answers, but all of them wrote water quality.
Each October I send a survey to those who have read one of my articles, or attended one of my programs to see what behavior changes they may have made to improve the health of the bay and I ask them which topics should be the focus for the upcoming year. Water quality is always on that list and is usually the first. 2024, was no different, water quality remains the number one topic.
Local bayous in the Pensacola Bay area have experienced fish kills due excessive nutrients in the past. The Lakewatch Program trains volunteers to monitor nutrients in these waterways today.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
There are numerous issues that impact our water quality. In a 2016 EPA publication, Dr. Mike Lewis (et.al.) discussed a variety of environmental concerns that had impacted the Pensacola Bay System1. Between pages 23-86 of this 145-page document the topic of water quality is discussed. Topics include what contaminants we discharge into the waterways, ground water quality, surface water quality, sediment quality, bioaccumulation, and the risk these contaminants have on estuarine fish and wildlife, as well as humans. The contaminants reach our waters using a variety of ways including the atmosphere, ground water, tributaries, municipal and industrial wastewater, and stormwater runoff. With a variety of issues at hand, I asked my advisory committee for advice on prioritizing these issues. Surface water quality rose to the top and I began our program here.
Surface waters have issues such as eutrophication (excess nutrients triggering algal blooms which trigger low dissolved oxygen which trigger fish kills), chemical contamination of sediments, water clarity due to increase sediments, fecal bacteria, PAHs, pesticides, PCBs, and others. Many of these have been monitored for decades. Surface water quality in the Pensacola Bay System was reported as fair in 1992, in need of improvement in 1998, and good – 30% good in 2005. Though things are improving there is still much to do.
So… what can YOU do the help?
Historically rainwater fell on the land and water of the Pensacola Bay region. The water that fell on the land either percolated through the sediments to recharge the ground water, or – if it was a form of sediment that reduced percolation rates, formed surface water that recharged the bay (streams, creeks, and rivers). With the increase in development there came an increase in impervious surfaces for water to percolate, and flooding of streets and communities became a problem. Communities began to develop methods of moving this stormwater into our properties and into the area waterways. Early the method was nothing more than discharge pipes directly into these waterways. More recently stormwater ponds, diverting to marshes, and other methods have been used. This has become an increasing problem with the high densities developments we are seeing now.
Stormwater conveyance in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties. Photo: Matt Deitch
Solving this problem often falls on the city and county governments to develop ordinances to properly manage stormwater and abide by state and federal mandates. Each year, UF IFAS Extension offers a district wide workshop focused on new methods of handling stormwater. This year Part 1 of the workshop will be held on May 1, Part 2 on May 15. If you are with a city/county municipality and are interested in attending either in-person or virtually, contact your local extension office for more information. But there are things that private homeowners and businesses can do as well.
Everyone who lives in the Florida panhandle can expect rain and a lot of it. Over the last decade Pensacola has averaged around 70 inches annually. What are you going to do with the rainwater that falls on your property? In many cases there are designs for it to run off your property and contribute to the stormwater issue. However, there are ways to hold on to that rainwater and use it for good. If you have gutters you can place rain barrels at the down spouts. This water could then be used to irrigate your landscape using drip irrigation methods. You could create a rain garden. These are low areas on the property where rainwater is directed. You can then landscape these with plants that can tolerate wetter conditions and make it look attractive. You can also use previous materials for your sidewalks, patios, and even your driveway. Pervious materials will allow rainwater to percolate through reaching the ground and avoid running off towards storm drains.
Rain barrels can be used to capture rainwater and avoid run-off. Rain garden at the VA Central Western Massachusetts Health Care System facility.
Photo: US Air Force
You could landscape your yard using the UF IFAS Florida Friendly Landscaping principles. Following the nine principles of this program will help reduce the need for fertilizers, pesticides, and water usage itself. Not only does this reduce irrigation water becoming part of the stormwater, but it also reduces some of the chemical pollutants that contribute to poor water quality as well. It also saves the property owner money.
Health advisories issued due to high levels of fecal bacteria are problems in many local waterways. Poorly maintained septic and sewer systems are a major cause of this. If you own a septic system, you need to develop a maintenance plan and follow it. If you are not sure how to do this, contact your county extension office for assistance.
A conventional septic system is composed of a septic tank and a drainfield, where most of the wastewater treatment takes place. Image: US EPA
Though less maintenance is needed if you are on sewer system, there are still things you need to do to help reduce sanitary sewage overflows (SSOs). One is to watch what you pour down the drain. Fats, oils, grease, and even milk can solidify and block the flow of your sewage, and lead to SSOs. In Escambia County the Emerald Coast Utility Authority (ECUA) offers a program they call FOG. This program provides free containers where you pour your fats, oils, and grease. When full, they can be exchanged for a new container, this reduces the frequency of SSOs and ECUA will use these oils as a biofuel at their reclamation center. There may be a similar program in your community. Another practice you could adopt is to check the lateral sewer lines connecting your house to the main sewer line under the street. These lateral lines are the responsibility of the homeowner and can become clogged or cracked releasing untreated sewage into the environment.
1-gallon container provided free to dispose of your oil and grease.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
If you are a waterfront property owner, you might consider planting a living shoreline. These natural shorelines not only reduce the erosion of your property, but they also provide habitat that enhances fisheries, and the marsh plants are good at absorbing/trapping sediments and pollutants that may runoff your property. If you would like to learn more about how to have a living shoreline planted, contact your county extension office.
FDEP planting a living shoreline on Bayou Texar in Pensacola.
Photo: FDEP
Keep in mind that the suggestions mentioned above work as well for businesses as they do for homeowners.
It is understood that water quality is a large concern for many in the Florida panhandle. Though things are improving in some areas, there is more that can be done. There are things YOU can do to help reduce this problem. Hopefully some of you will adopt some of the practices in 2024 and let us know if you do. If you have questions about any of them, contact your local county extension office.
Reference
1 Lewis, Michael, J. Taylor Kirschenfeld, and Traci Goodhart. Environmental Quality of the Pensacola Bay System: Retrospective Review for Future Resource Management and Rehabilitation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, Florida, EPA/600/R-16/169, 2016.
Health advisories issued by the Department of Health (DOH) due to high levels of fecal bacteria have been a problem for some parts of the Pensacola Bay system for decades. Though most of the samples collected near our beaches rarely require them (usually between 0-5%) the bayous near downtown have been at, or above, 30% of the samples. Bayou Chico is often between 50-60% of the samples. Fecal bacteria have been such a problem in Bayou Chico that it was required to adopt a state Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) to rectify the problem.
Closed due to bacteria.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
I began following the health advisory reports provided by DOH’s Healthy Beaches Program in 2012. As mentioned above, swimming beaches near our islands rarely have health advisories issued. The problem was with the three bayous near downtown. In 2012 all three consistently reported 30%, or more, of their samples required an advisory to be issued.
To rectify the problem the city and county have been doing a lot of work replacing old infrastructure that allowed sewage to leak from pipes or reach surface waters through sanitary sewage overflows. Many communities around these bayous are converting from old septic systems to sewer, the communities around Bayou Texar are now all on sewer. These same efforts are occurring along the north shore of Bayou Grande, and in neighborhoods around Bayou Chico. Between 2012 and the present, I have seen the frequency of health advisories decline some. Bayou Texar hovers around 30%, some years they are below, others above the mark. In recent years Bayou Grande has consistently been between 25-30%. Bayou Chico has declined some but is usually at or above 30%.
In 2023, for the first time since I began following this, all 13 sites monitored in Escambia County were below 30%.
2023
Body of Water
Number of samples taken
Percent of samples requiring an advisory
Bayou Texar
45
22
Bayou Grande
18
22
Bayou Chico
19
21
Bruce Beach
46
9
Big Lagoon State Park
19
5
Sanders Beach
46
4
Casino Beach
18
0
Park East
18
0
Park West
18
0
Quietwater Beach
18
0
Ft. Pickens
7
0
Johnson’s Beach
7
0
Opal Beach
7
0
It is worth noting that our rainfall was low this year as well. Historically, Pensacola received 60-61 inches of rain a year. Over the last decade this has increased to 70-71 inches. The current rainfall total for 2023 is 58 inches. Many studies show a strong correlation between rainfall and the number of advisories issued. It may very well be that the reduction in rainfall played a large part in the reduction of health advisories. Despite a lot of progress repairing infrastructure, and this effort needs to continue, there are still some issues.
Along with the city and county retrofitting old infrastructure, there are things area residents can do as well.
Many of these are related to poorly maintained septic systems throughout the area. If you are a septic system owner and would like to learn more on how to properly maintain your septic system, contact your county extension office.
If you are a septic system owner and are interested in converting to sewer to reduce the need for maintenance, contact our county extension office. For some communities in the Pensacola area, there is a cost share program with DOH to help make this conversion.
If you are on a sewer system in one of the older parts of town, the pipe leaving your house and connecting to the line under the street is your responsibility and may need repairing or replacing. Many plumbing companies have a television scope that can examine this line and provide you feedback.
For everyone, be careful what your pour down the drain. Fats, Oils, Grease, and even milk can clog the pipes and cause sanitary sewage overflows or backups in the system. Heavy rains only make this worse. In the Pensacola area the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) provides free plastic gallon jugs to place your cooking oil and grease in and, when full, can be swapped for another at several locations around town. To find the closest disposal site to you visit https://ecua.fl.gov/live-green/fats-oils-grease.
The FOG gallon containers are found in these metal cabinets placed around the county.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
Despite low rainfall this year, it is still good that all 13 sites were below 30% this year. With the help of the local governments, agencies, and residents, hopefully it will remain so.
The information provided here can be used by communities all along the Florida panhandle. High fecal bacteria count, and health advisories are not limited to the Pensacola Bay System. Contact your county extension office for more information on how you can help to reduce health advisories in your area.
I began this project in 2022 wanting to know which of the 40 species of snakes known to inhabit the Pensacola Bay area were encountered by people. I also wanted to know where they were encountering them and what time of year. This information would be used in my Living with Snakes program and provide better information than field guides and publications that covered a broader area. The 40 local species were divided into six categories: small snakes (<12”), mid-sized snakes (12-24”), large snakes (> 24”), water snakes, venomous snakes, and non-native snakes.
The red rat snake, or corn snake.
Photo: Molly O’Connor
Which snakes did people encounter?
In 2023 there were 215 snake encounters between Jan 1 and Dec 10. This is a 136% increase over 2022. This is probably not because of more snakes but rather more residents participating in the project.
Of the 40 species possible, 24 (60%) were encountered. This is a 13% increase over 2022. Again, I feel this is due more to increasing participation.
The most frequently encountered species were:
Cottonmouth – 49 records (23%)
Southern Black Racer – 35 records (16%)
Banded Water Snake – 26 records (12%)
Eastern Garter Snake – 17 records (8%)
Eastern Coachwhip – 11 records (5%)
The Southern Black Racer was the most frequently encountered snake in 2022 (23%), followed by the cottonmouth (16%). As you can see, the frequency of encounters remained the same this year, but the species flipped. The Eastern Ribbon Snake, which was third at (14%) in 2022 did not make the top five this year.
The rarest snakes – those encountered only once or not at all – included:
Encountered once:
Rough Green Snake
Eastern Kingsnake
Eastern Coral Snake
NOT Encountered at all:
Smooth Earth Snake
Marsh Brown Snake
Southern Hognose Snake
Mole Kingsnake
Scarlet Kingsnake
Eastern Indigo Snake
Black Swamp Snake
Glossy Crayfish Snake
Queen Snake
Midland Watersnake
Yellow Bellied Water Snake
Diamondback Water Snake
Western Green Water Snake
Western/Eastern Mud Snake
Rainbow Snake
Of the four species only encountered once, each is considered quite rare for encounters. The Eastern Kingsnake was once common but has declined over the years. The Eastern Coral Snake is quite common, but its behavior and activity make it rare to encounter. Some snake experts have never seen one in the wild.
Of the 16 species not encountered at all, three are small snakes whose size and habits make them difficult to detect. Two are mid-sized but their habits also make them hard to detect. Nine are water snakes who live in swampy environments along our rivers. You would have to be out there to encounter them, and few people are. Two species, the Southern Hognose and the Eastern Indigo Snake, are state and federal listed and are extremely rare.
The gray rat snake, also known as the oak snake.
Photo: Nick Baldwin
Where did people encounter these snakes?
I divided the bay area into four regions: North Escambia, South Escambia, North Santa Rosa, and South Santa Rosa.
North Escambia – 13 species (54% of the total 24 species found this year).
South Escambia – 16 species (67% of the total).
North Santa Rosa – 17 species (71% of the total).
South Santa Rosa – 11 species (46% of the total).
There is not much difference between these. In Escambia County more encounters occurred in the southern portion of the county. For Santa Rosa County it was the opposite. Whether this is because there are more snakes in these locations, or more participants in the project cannot be said. We will pay more attention to this next year.
Species that were found in ALL four regions included:
Eastern Garter Snake
Gray Rat Snake
Corn Snake
Southern Black Racer
Coachwhip
Cottonmouth
Species only found on one of the four regions included:
Eastern Kingsnake
Florida Pine Snake
Brahminy Blind Snake
Rough Earth Snake
Pinewoods Snake
Eastern Coral Snake
What time of year were these snakes encountered?
Winter – 57 encounters; 13 species
Spring – 80 encounters; 20 species
Summer – 52 encounters; 18 species
Fall – 17 encounters; 10 species
There was an obvious decline in encounters in the fall. Many species are beginning to settle in for the winter this time of year, but many others breed, and thus should be moving (at least the males). I know some volunteers ceased looking, but others I know who search weekly, or daily, did not encounter as many snakes.
Only one species was encountered every month of the year. This was the cottonmouth.
The Eastern Garter Snake was seen every month except June and October; it seems to be active year-round.
The Southern Black Racer was missing in January, November, and December – suggesting a dislike for the cold.
NOTE: many of these hibernating snakes will emerge on warmer sunny days during winter and can be encountered.
SPRING was the time of year with the highest encounter rate and species encountered. This would make sense in two parts; (1) they are emerging seeking food after non-feeding during winter, (2) they are emerging looking for mates because it is breeding season for many. Five species were only encountered in the early part of the year. Two species were only found in winter and one species was only found in the spring.
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake crawling near Ft. Pickens Campground.
Photo: Shelley Johnson
What about the venomous snakes?
As expected, most are concerned more about the encounters with venomous snakes. There are six venomous species listed in the state of Florida, four inhabit the Pensacola Bay area. All four were encountered in 2023.
Cottonmouth – was encountered in all regions, each month of the year, it was the most commonly encountered snake in our area this year.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake – was encountered seven times, only during the spring and summer, and in three of the four regions in our area. This snake is pretty common but not commonly encountered where people most often reside and play. Though encounters do occur in residential neighborhoods, they are rare.
Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake – was encountered six times, during spring, summer, and fall, and two of the four regions in the bay area.
Eastern Coral Snake – was encountered once, during the spring, and in only one of the four regions in the bay area. Again, this snake is actually quite common, but its behavior makes it difficult to encounter. So, encounters with this species are rare.
Summary
In 2023 60% of the known species of snakes that inhabit the Pensacola Bay area were encountered by residents at some time during the year. Most encounters occurred in the spring and summer and encounters occurred throughout the entire region. The cottonmouth was the most frequently encountered species this year but rare species, such as the Eastern hognose, Eastern kingsnake, and the Florida pine snake were seen – and that is pretty exciting. The snake diversity in the Pensacola Bay area seems good. There is concern that a non-native parasite decreasing the populations of some species in central and south Florida may make its way to the panhandle. We are participating in a project entitled Snake Lungworm Alliance Monitoring (SLAM) that collects deceased snakes for examination by researchers. If you find a deceased snake in good enough condition to be dissected, place it in a plastic Ziplock bag, label with the date, location (GPS preferred), and your contact information. You can then bring it to the Escambia County Extension office or freeze it and call me – (850-475-5230) or email roc1@ufl.edu and we will arrange pick up.
We plan to continue the Snake Watch Project in 2024 and encourage all who see snakes to contact me at the above email address. We will also be offering the Living with Snakes presentation. If your community group is interested in this talk, contact me.
I am going to end 2023 with an article on a project I hope to conduct in 2024. It will focus on insular cottonmouths and will focus on the western panhandle, though those in the eastern panhandle might be interested and could help. For obvious reasons, conducting this project as a citizen science one is not the best idea. Cottonmouths are venomous snakes and can be dangerous, but there could be opportunities where citizens could be of help (a road killed snake for example).
The cottonmouth is one of the more commonly encountered snakes in the western panhandle.
Photo: Bob Jackson
The story is quite interesting. Most books and articles on cottonmouths indicate they inhabit freshwater habitats where water flow is slower. Though found in the back waters of rivers, they are not as common within the rivers themselves. Golf courses, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs are other places they frequent. There are records of them on coastal barrier islands and in the upper Florida Keys. Swimming across saltwater is not surprising but existing on a xeric, sandy barrier island would not fit the typical habitat of this snake. Most of the accounts on barrier islands are in the Big Bend region and many know that there are freshwater habitats on some of these islands. If a cottonmouth could reach the island, there could be a suitable habitat for them. But you could argue that these habitats are not large enough to support a large population. The carry capacity of a population is determined by the amount of space and resources available. Cottonmouths are opportunistic feeders – so, finding food would not be a big issue – but with limited acreage of needed freshwater the carrying capacity would be lower, and populations of cottonmouths lower as well. Then there is Seahorse Key.
Seahorse Key
Photo: Courtesy of flicker
Seahorse Key is 3 miles southwest of Cedar Key and can only be accessed by boat. It is said that the density of cottonmouths is higher there than anywhere in the state. Dr. Coleman Sheehy (University of Florida) stated they typically encountered 30 snakes while conducting beach walk surveys and they estimated about 600 cottonmouths on the island. The fact that cottonmouths were there was not surprising, but the high density – in a habitat not really suitable for such – was.
Depending on which source you use, there are up to three subspecies of cottonmouths found in the U.S. The Florida cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorous conanti) is the one found on Seahorse Key, the rest of peninsula Florida, and in the panhandle as far west as Gulf County. The eastern cottonmouth (A.p. piscivorous) is found from Bay County west to Escambia County on the Florida/Alabama line, and north into the coastal plains of Alabama and Georgia. The western cottonmouth (A.p. leucostoma) is found from the Alabama/Florida line west to Texas and north to Arkansas. Dr. Harvey Lillywhite (University of Florida), and others, were curious as to whether the Florida cottonmouth was adapting to saltwater. An interesting question and, again, how these snakes are surviving and thriving on Seahorse Key is a part of understanding this story. In recent years there has been a push to declare the Florida cottonmouth its own species – Agkistrodon conanti. The Florida Museum of Natural History’s history article1 on cottonmouths list as such. Dr. Steve Johnson’s article2 lists the snake as Agkistrodon piscivorous and leaves it there, not dividing into subspecies. Many current researchers agree with the identification of A. conanti for the Florida cottonmouth – the one found on the islands of the Big Bend – and the one of interest in whether it is adapting to saltwater environments. That brings me back to the project we are planning to begin in 2024 in the western panhandle.
Cottonmouths definitely exist on the barrier islands in Escambia County. We have two islands – Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key. There are freshwater sources on both islands and suitable habitat for cottonmouths. The swim from the mainland to reach these islands is much shorter than for those at Seahorse Key. At Perdido Key a swim of 600 feet would allow a snake to reach the island – easy. The swim from Perdido Key to Santa Rosa Island is less than a mile (about 4000 feet) but the currents in Pensacola Pass are strong and the likelihood of a cottonmouth accessing Santa Rosa Island this way would be low. However, there are many locations along Santa Rosa Island where the swim would be no more than a mile from the mainland and some, in Okaloosa County, the trip could be made in about 800 feet. Island access is easy.
As the Escambia County Extension Agent, I handle the snake calls that come to our office – and there are a lot of them. In recent years there has been concern from some Perdido Key residents with the number of cottonmouths they are encountering. One of their questions was whether this was an unusually high encounter rate – Seahorse Key all over. Conducting surveys in their neighborhood in 2019 I encountered cottonmouths 70% of the time – all of them were juveniles or subadults. I recommended some landscape changes to deter the snakes from their yards and in 2020 the encounter rate dropped to about 40% of the surveys. However, it did not rain as much in 2020 and this could have affected the snakes as much, if not more, than the landscaping changes. The freshwater ponds in the neighborhood used by the snakes were small and ephemeral – they did not have water unless rainfall was present. So, we did another survey in 2021, it rained more, and encounters increased to 50% of the surveys. The landscaping may have helped some. In 2021 I also conducted surveys in the nearby state park and found no significant difference in snake encounters (50%) but the time of day for encounters was different and I did find adult snakes in the state park.
Note here… I get very few calls on cottonmouths from Santa Rosa Island. Rather their calls are about eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, which are not encountered as much on Perdido Key. The question we have on the table now is whether the cottonmouths found on Perdido Key are the Florida cottonmouth (A. conanti) – the one some believe may be adapting to saltwater conditions. According to Whit Gibbons and Mike Dorcas’s Snakes of the Southeast3 Escambia County Florida is the border between the eastern and the western cottonmouth. This same guide suggests that the Florida cottonmouth does not exist here.
So here is the project… which species/subspecies of cottonmouths exist on our barrier islands in the western Florida panhandle?
How do you tell them apart?
The difference between the Florida cottonmouth and the eastern/western are very minor. This makes identification in the field hard and dangerous. The Florida cottonmouth will have two distinct stripes running vertically across the front of its snout. The eastern/western cottonmouth will not have these. To determine whether these stripes exist requires getting much closer to the snake than is recommended. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SNAKE AND CLOSE ENCOUNTERS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED. However, a road killed snake can be examined using a stick at least 12” long. NOTE: SNAKES, EVEN RECENTLY KILLED, HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO BITE. DO NOT HANDLE A DEAD SNAKE UNLESS YOU ARE SURE IT IS DEAD. You may have a camera that can get a good photo of the snout FROM A SAFE DISTANCE (cottonmouths like to rest with their head tilted upwards at a good angle for such a photo).
You can see the light vertical bands on the snout of this snake indicating it is the Florida cottonmouth.
Photo: University of Florida. Notice the light bands across the snout of this Florida Cottonmouth.
Photo: Kristen Grace. This cottonmouth has a uniform coloration across the snout – indicating that it is an eastern cottonmouth.
Photo: Ricky Stackhouse.
We are planning a program on this project in early April for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. If you are in Okaloosa, Walton, or Bay counties and would like the program presented there – let me know.
