Below is the Executive Summary of the Draft Recovery Plan. Click here for a PDF version of the entire Copperbelly Water Snake Draft Recovery Plan.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Prepared by:
Dr. Bruce Kingsbury - Indiana Purdue University Fort Wayne, and
Carrie L. Tansy - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Current Species Status: The Northern population of copperbelly water snake is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Distinct Population Segment (DPS). The DPS consists of populations north of the 40th Parallel, in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Surveys over the last twenty years have documented an ongoing decline in these populations. Many populations are now extirpated, and those that remain are very small. Even the largest population is in decline with adults likely numbering in the low hundreds, or less.
Habitat Requirements and Limiting Factors:
Copperbelly water snakes have both wetland and terrestrial habitat requirements, but are associated most clearly with wetland complexes characterized by a preponderance of shallow wetlands, many of which draw down seasonally. Thus, the species needs habitat complexes of isolated wetlands distributed in a forested upland matrix, floodplain wetlands fed by seasonal flooding, or a combination of both. Individuals move hundreds of meters or more between wetlands and routinely use multiple wetlands over the course of an active season. They also spend substantial periods of time in upland situations aestivating, foraging, and shedding. In addition, fishless wetlands that have high anuran (frog and toad) productivity are required to provide habitat and a suitable prey base.
The principal limiting factor for copperbellies is the availability of wetland/upland habitat complexes of sufficient size. Research indicates that copperbellies require many hundreds of hectares of contiguous habitat in order to persist. Additional less significant threats are human persecution, inadequate habitat management, and road crossings.
Recovery Strategy:
The principal recovery strategy is to establish and conserve multiple wetland/upland habitat complexes that provide adequate habitat for population persistence. The existence of several such landscape complexes will greatly reduce the risk of extinction due to catastrophic or otherwise unanticipated losses of metapopulations. Our recovery strategy focuses on targeted habitat restoration and implementation of “best management practices” for land managers. Additional efforts will also focus on reducing take due to collection by humans and malicious killing. Outreach materials will be developed regarding the species’ presence in the region as part of the natural environment and to reduce the fear of snakes.
Recovery Goal: To remove the species from the Federal list of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (50 CFR 17.11).
Recovery Objectives: (1) To ensure long-term persistence of multiple, viable metapopulations across the geographic range of the DPS; (2) to conserve sufficient wetland/upland habitat complexes to support these metapopulations; and (3) to develop and distribute educational materials on the natural history of copperbellies, their habitat requirements, and appropriate management guidelines for the species and its habitat.
Recovery Criteria:
Delisting Criteria
Criterion 1. Multiple population viability is assured:
a)
At least one population of Copperbelly Water Snake must exceed a population size of 1000 adults;
b)
In addition, either five geographically distinct populations have population sizes of more than 500 individuals, or three metapopulations have a total population size of 3000, with none less than 500; and
c)
Populations described in a) and b) above must persist at these levels for at least ten years.
Criterion 2. Sufficient habitat is protected and managed:
a) Wetland/upland complexes sufficient to support the populations described in Criterion 1 are permanently conserved.
1) A population of 1000 adults will require at least five square miles of landscape matrix with a high density and diversity of shallow wetlands imbedded in largely forested uplands.
2) A population of 500 will require at least three square miles of the same type of habitat.
b) Multiple hibernacula for each population are permanently conserved. Two hibernacula will be available within one kilometer of all suitable summer habitat included above.
Criterion 3. Significant threats due to lack of suitable management, adverse land features and uses, collection or persecution have been reduced or eliminated:
a)
Habitat management and protection guidelines have been developed, distributed and maintained.
b) Adverse land features and uses such as row crops, roads and accompanying traffic have been removed, minimized or managed within occupied Criterion 1 landscape complexes to the extent possible.
c)
A comprehensive education and outreach program, including persecution and collection deterrence, has been developed and implemented.
Reclassification Criteria
The Copperbelly Water Snake should be reclassified as Endangered if either of the following criteria are met:
Criterion 1: There are no known metapopulations of more than 500 adults.
Criterion 2: The cumulative population size is estimated at less than 1000.
If classified as Endangered, then the species may be reclassified as Threatened when those conditions are no longer true.
Actions Needed:
1. Identify and conserve habitat complexes sufficient for recovery
2. Monitor known copperbelly water snake populations and their habitat
3. Improve baseline understanding of copperbelly water snake ecology
4. Develop recovery approaches to enhance recruitment and population size
5. Develop and implement public education and outreach efforts
6. Review and track recovery progress
7. Develop a plan to monitor Copperbelly Water Snake after it is delisted
Estimated Cost of Recovery for FY 2008 – 2009 (in $1000): Details are found in the Implementation Schedule.
| Year(s) |
Action 1 |
Action 2 |
Action 3 |
Action 4 |
Action 5 |
Action 6 |
Action 7 |
TOTAL |
| 1 |
145 |
50 |
45 |
20 |
13 |
1 |
0 |
274 |
| 2 |
170 |
60 |
75 |
50 |
13 |
1 |
0 |
369 |
| 3 |
165 |
60 |
75 |
70 |
13 |
1 |
0 |
384 |
| 4-30 |
440+ |
110 |
55 |
95+ |
70 |
20 |
15 |
805+ |
| TOTAL |
920+ |
280 |
250 |
235+ |
109 |
23 |
15 |
1832+ |
Date of Recovery: Contingent on funding and implementation of recovery actions, full recovery of this species may occur by 2038.
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