A member of the family Dipsadidae (“Rear-Fanged Snakes”), this is a tiny reclusive species that spends much of its life under cover and is the only egg-laying (oviparous) species of snakes in Coastal BC. In 2021, the species was split into two populations – Coast Mountain and Pacific Coast. The Coast Mountain population is limited to a small area in the cooler, wetter Pemberton Valley*, while the Pacific Coast population is found in the drier regions of southeastern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands. Threats for both populations include habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation.
*See article below about a recent occurrence near Boston Bar.
This is a species at risk. To find its current at-risk designation and listing info, visit the BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer. For direction on finding additional species recovery information, visit the Species and Ecological Communities Profiles Overview webpage.
Resources
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BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer
Provincial site providing current information for BC’s plants, animals and...
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Sharp-tailed Snake Species Profile
SCCP’s Species Profile of the Sharp-tailed Snake (2015).
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Teen discovers endangered snake in Boston Bar
Article about the Sharp-tailed Snake being recently discovered in Boston...
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