Species Profile: Southern Hognose Snake (Heterodon simus) on Military Installations in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Abstract : The southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus) is the smallest of the hognose snakes, occurring in the southeastern United States, from southeastern North Carolina to South & Central Florida and west to Southern Mississippi and Southeastern Louisiana. The species is a former candidate species for listing as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The snake favors mature pine and sandhill habitats, which continue to decline in abundance in the Southeast. Habitat loss and fragmentation are the primary threats to the survival of the species. Southern hognose snakes have been documented on several military installations in the Southeast. This report is one of a series of Species Profiles being developed for threatened, endangered, and sensitive species inhabiting southeastern United States plant communities. The work is being conducted as part of the Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP). The report is designed to supplement information provided in plant community management reports for major United States plant communities found on military installations. Information provided on the southern hognose snake includes status, life history and ecology, habitat requirements, impacts and cause of decline, management and protection, and inventory and monitoring.