Stunning California snake endangered since the 1960s prepares to make a comeback

"In an unassuming building at the San Francisco Zoo, 115 brilliantly colored baby snakes are being fattened up on a diet of worms. These are endangered San Francisco garter snakes and during a visit in early December, they were small enough to curl up in a ball in the palm of your hand. Each has a red-orange head, a turquoise belly, and vivid red and blue-yellow stripes."

"Listed as endangered since 1967, San Francisco garter snakes are found only on the Peninsula and in northern Santa Cruz County. They have been in trouble for decades, threatened by urban development, which has fragmented their remaining habitat. But 2026 could mark a turnaround, as the zoo-born snakes are released into the wild as part of a head-start program run by multiple federal and local agencies."

"One surprising stronghold is a 180-acre property just west of Highway 101 which is owned by San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and is home to an estimated 1,300 of the snakes. We have probably the largest population of the San Francisco garter snake, said Audrey Park, the airport's environmental affairs manager. SFO carefully monitors and protects the wetland habitats on its property, conducting a population survey of the San Francisco garter snake every five years,"

One hundred fifteen brightly colored baby San Francisco garter snakes are being raised at the San Francisco Zoo and fed worms to grow before release. Each snake displays a red-orange head, turquoise belly, and vivid red and blue-yellow stripes. The species has been listed as endangered since 1967 and occurs only on the Peninsula and in northern Santa Cruz County. Populations have declined due to urban development, habitat fragmentation, and habitat conversion, leaving only a few thousand in the wild. A multi-agency head-start program will release zoo-born snakes in 2026. A 180-acre wetland property owned by San Francisco International Airport supports an estimated 1,300 snakes and is monitored with surveys every five years.

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