The eastern indigo snake is federally listed as threatened under the endangered species act because of widespread population declines linked to habitat loss, persecution, and over-collection

Population reintroduction to extirpated areas of the species historic range is identified as a priority 1 action in the species recovery plan to increase redundancy and representation so that the species may be recovered and, ultimately, DE-listed. The orianne society, has partnered with the central florida zoos orianne center for indigo conservation (ocic), welaka national fish hatchery, ZOO atlanta, conecuh national forest, the nature conservancy, conservation science partners, auburn university, the university of florida, alabama department of conservation and natural resources (acdnr), florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC), and U.S. Fish and wildlife service (USFWS) to accelerate a science-based indigo snake captive propagation and reintroduction program that has been developing for more than ten years. Currently, there are two reintroduction sites located in the indigo snake panhandle representative region, conecuh national forest in southern alabama and apalachicola bluffs and ravines preserve in northwestern florida. The purpose of this project is to increase the probability of reintroduction success through three objectives: 1) refining decision support tools, 2) increasing capacity of the captive propagation facilities, and 3) expanding monitoring and management efforts at reintroduction sites. Ultimately, these efforts aim to meet the USFWS priority recovery actions and goals to establish at least two indigo snake populations in the panhandle representative region.activities to be performed include the orianne society and conservation science partners creating a planning tool by integrating models describing indigo snake populations in captivity and at reintroduction sites. This integrated modeling framework will be used by the partnership to evaluate various management decisions and their relative costs. The ocic will breed captive indigo snakes and hatch eggs before transferring yearling indigo snakes to head-start facilities (ZOO atlanta and welaka national fish hatchery). Juvenile snakes will then be raised in captivity for a second year before being released at reintroduction sites. The ocic will conduct health tests and add new indigo snake breeders to the breeding colony throughout the project. Food and housing for indigo snakes in captivity will be supported by the project funds. Auburn university, the nature conservancy, FWC, and ocic will all contribute to monitoring and management at the two release sites. Project funds will help purchase some of the needed monitoring supplies and support staff who work on this objective. Throughout the project period, project partners will meet routinely to evaluate model development, husbandry, and monitoring efforts. The entire partnership will meet at least annually to review program progress. This project will deliver an integrated modeling framework that can be used by the partners during and beyond the 3-year project to guide the reintroduction program going forward, including expanding the program to additional release sites (e.g., eglin air force base). Additional supplies and housing for captive indigo snakes are expected to promote the capacity for increasing and maintaining indigo snake production goals such that releases for reintroduction sites can be more efficient. Release site monitoring is expected help validate population RE-establishment success in the panhandle representative region, which is necessary for indigo snake recovery.