The listing affects 22 islands and rock outcroppings in western Lake Erie that are more than one mile from the Ohio and Canadian mainland. It does not affect snakes on the Catawba/Marblehead Peninsula in Ohio or its two near-shore islands, Mouse and Johnsons Island. There are relatively few Lake Erie water snakes in these areas and they often interbreed with other snakes. Therefore, the Service determined that protection was not warranted or needed for the long-term conservation of the species.
The Lake Erie water snake is vulnerable to extinction after many decades of serious decline, said William Hartwig, Regional Director of the Services Great Lakes/Big Rivers region. The snake population has suffered from being killed by people and from development of shoreline habitat.
The listing means that Lake Erie water snakes are protected from take, including killing, harming or destruction of habitat. However, the listing contains a special provision that allows residents to carefully remove the water snakes from yards, boats, and buildings without obtaining a permit. Such acts that do not hurt the snakes are not a violation of the take prohibitions under the Act.
Lake Erie water snakes are slate grey, or partly banded, and are from 1 to 3.5 feet in length. The snakes live along shorelines of the Lake Erie islands where they feed on small fish and amphibians. When approached by people, they usually flee into the water or under cover.
These non-poisonous snakes are an important part of the ecosystem and pose no threat to humans, Hartwig said. We believe people and water snakes can coexist once people better understand the snakes needs and behavior.
The Service has worked closely with the Ohio Division of Wildlife to conserve the species. Recent data show the number of water snakes per kilometer of shoreline has declined dramatically at key study sites -- by 75 percent on North Bass and by 81 percent on Middle Bass Island.
The Service will be assembling a team over the next several months to develop a Recovery Plan outlining recovery measures for the species. The team will include snake experts and residents on the islands. Recovery efforts will likely focus on habitat protection and educating the public about the snake through cooperative efforts with local, state, and federal agencies, local landowners, and other stakeholders. The Service and the Ohio Division of Wildlife will continue on-going education efforts on the Lake Erie islands.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprising more than 500 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries and 78 ecological services field stations.
The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://www.fws.gov/r3pao/
