Black-neck garter snake
The Blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis) is a species of garter snake native to North and Central America. It is nonvenomous and can be found in a wide range of different habitats, often near water sources.
There are three recognized subspecies of the Blackneck garter snake which differ slightly in their appearance. The Western blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis) may attain 107 cm (42 inches) in total length. It is colored dark olive with an orange-yellow stripe that is displayed on the middle of the body from the top; the underside is usually a cream or light shade of gray. The Eastern blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus) is smaller than the Western blackneck garter snake, with an average total length of less than 51 cm (20 inches). It displays three light stripes on a dark-colored body with uniform orange and orange-yellow spreading throughout.
Blackneck garter snakes are found in southeastern and central Arizona, parts of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. They prefer to live near water in desert scrub, grasslands, chaparral, canyons, foothills or mountains, forests, and woodlands.
Blackneck garter snakes are active during the day and during twilight, and occasionally at night. Western blackneck garter snakes spend most of their time near rivers, swimming, and hunting their prey in the water. Eastern blackneck garter snakes are frequently found on dry land near a water source rather than in water. In general, Blackneck garter snakes are solitary and hibernate during cold months from late fall to winter.
Blackneck garter snakes are carnivores. They feed on small fish, amphibians, other snakes, and invertebrates, such as earthworms.
The breeding season of Blackneck garter snakes starts in late spring or summer. Females are ovoviviparous and give birth to up to 25 live young. The young are independent from the moment they were born and don’t require parental care.
Blackneck garter snakes are not threatened at present. In some areas of their native range, they suffer from habitat loss and may be collected for the pet trade.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Blackneck garter snake total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.