Maybe you’ve heard of Indigo Snakes, or heard someone tell a tale of a large, black snake wandering the wilderness of South Texas. The Indigo Snake is a bit of a celebrity, famous for its diet of rattlesnakes. This species also eats other animals, including birds, amphibians, and other reptiles.
You can recognize an Indigo Snake with a few distinct features:
- Size: Indigo Snakes can grow up to 8 feet long, and have broad, stocky bodies
- Markings: Notice the orangish-reddish coloring on the chin of the featured Indigo Snake. This is one common marking to use as an identifier. Under the eye is a black stripe extending down diagonally.
- Coloring: This snake gets its name from its uniform, bluish black color. Its underbelly is gray.
Unfortunately for the Indigo Snake, its fame has not protected it from hunting — it is considered a threatened species. Watch out for these snakes in South Texas, and help to protect them from endangerment by leaving them in peace.