Endangered Species Protection Program (ESPP) amnophis sirtalis tet sirtalis Thamnophis Threatened species The U.S.Environmental The SanFranciscogartersnake Program (ESPP)willhelp Endangered SpeciesProtection Protection Agency’s(EPA) Endangered speciesare not jeopardizethesurvivalof numbers aresolowthatthey becoming extinct. plants andanimalsthatare may becomeendangeredinthe in immediatedangerof is anendangeredspecies ensure thatpesticideusedoes and animalswhosepopulation listed species. future. o © Gary Nafis, www.californiaherps.com Photo ©Gary rataenia areplants . Office ofPesticide Programs (7507P) Endangered Spec Endangered a threattohumans,may extendto51inches. large. Thelengthofthisslender, beautifulsnake whichisnot and bellyaregreenish-blueorturquoiseblue.Theeyes are on thehead;topofheadisfullyred.Thelower side. Allbandsrunparallel thelengthofbody, except for parallel blackbandedgestheredfurtherdownoneach sometimes theredbandisbroken ordivided.Yet another juncture betweentheblackandredmay belessdistinct,and These blackbands,inturn,areedgedbyredbands.Herethe greenish-yellow stripeedgedoneachsidebyblackbands. snakes. Running downthecenterofitsbackisawide, frequently describedasoneofNorthAmerica’s mostbeautiful Range Appearance Critical Habitat Status Description andEcology Habitat are oftenfoundaroundephemeral pondshuntingPaci during their water edgesareessential. Inthespringandearlysummer, that is2inchesdeeporless, aquatic habitatswithshallow Because SanFrancisco gartersnakes canonly huntinwater snakes aredenselyvegetated ponds nearopenhillsides. been extirpatedandothersseemtobedeclining. diminished, somelocalpopulationswithinthatrange have the overall range oftheSanFrancisco gartersnake hasnot Ano Nuevo StateReserve. Whilerecentsurveys indicatethat there alongthewesterncoastofPeninsula towhatisnow west toTunitas Creek.Populations likely extendedsouthfrom south inanarcfromtheSanGregorio-Pescadero Highlands Buri RidgealongtheSanAndreasRiftandthenlocations Santa CruzMountains.Populations may have occupiedthe County borderalongtheeasternandwesternbaseof stretching southfromneartheSanFrancisco-San Mateo snake was largelyrestrictedtotheSanFrancisco Peninsula, San FranciscoGarterSnake Thehistoricrange oftheSanFrancisco garter Endangered,listedMarch11,1967. ThepreferredhabitatsofSanFrancisco garter first peakofactivity, SanFrancisco gartersnakes Theelusive, SanFrancisco gartersnake is Not designated. fi c http://www.epa.gov/espp/ amnophis sirtalis tet sirtalis Thamnophis U.S. EnvironmentalProtectionAgency California red-leggedfrogs. further impactgartersnake populationsbypreyingupon Bullfrogs preyuponyoung SanFrancisco gartersnakes and live, andindependent.Theremay be12-24 inalitter. hatching occurssothatinJulyandAugustoffspringareborn fertilization thefemaleretainseggsinsideherbodyuntil other gartersnakes theyareovoviviparous, thatis,following hibernacula andconcentrate innearbyaquatichabitat.Like encounters asSanFrancisco gartersnakes emergefromtheir can occurinthefall, Reproduction andLifeCycle exposed surfacesforthermoregulation. 20-30 squarefeet.Thisprovides bothprotective cover and grassland/shrub matrixwithadensityofoneshrubforevery hibernacula. Optimalhillsidevegetation isthoughttobea and rodentburrowsorthickmatsofgrass forshelterand south orwestfacingslopeswithsuitablesitesforbasking, San Francisco gartersnakes alsorequireuplandhabitat: mammals. newts, westerntoads,mosquito San Francisco gartersnakes alsopreyuponCalifornia frogs may encourage snake dispersalalongripariancorridors. snake andstimulateasecondpeakofactivity. Dispersing the nextimportantfoodsourceforSanFrancisco garter of theyear metamorphoseinJulyandAugust.Thesebecome select aquatichabitatthatwillnotdryupbeforetheyoung California red-leggedfrogsreproducelaterintheseasonand garter snakes shifttomorepermanentaquatichabitats. following theadults)retreattowoodedareas,SanFrancisco As ephemeral pondsdryandPaci ponds. reproduction toavoid theusualpredatorsfoundinpermanent tree frogs.Paci ies fic treefrogsutilize ephemeral pondsfor first warm days ofMarchencourage Facts rataenia rataenia fish and,onoccasion,small fic treefrogs(metamorphs Althoughmating February 2010 San Francisco Garter Snake

Recovery Plan The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) developed a recovery plan for the San Francisco garter snake in 1985. Recovery plans outline reasonable actions that FWS believes are required to recover or protect listed species. FWS prepares recovery plans, sometimes with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, state agencies, and others. Pacifi c treefr og, prey spec ies for San Francisco garter snake / Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views nor the Mike Bettaso, FWS Trinity River Herpet of auna Res earch official positions or approvals of any individuals or agencies, other than FWS, involved in the plan formulation. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species’ status, and the completion of recovery tasks.

San Francisco Garter Snake Information Sources

Primary Reference Beacham, Walton, Castronova, Frank F., and Sessine, Suzanne (eds.) 2001. Beacham’s Guide to the Endangered Species of North America, Gale Group, New York. Vol. 1, pp. 672–674. Listing Notice U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Adult San Francisco garter snake, San Mateo County 1967. Federal Register 32:4001, March 1967. ©Gary Nafis, www.californiaherps.com http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr18.pdf Recovery Plan U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1985. Recovery Plan for the San Francisco Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Portland, Oregon. 77 pp. http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/850911.pdf Species Account U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Field Office. http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/es/animal_spp_acct/sf_ garter_snake.pdf

Underside of adult San Francisco garter snake ©Gary Nafis, www.californiaherps.com