Think about your noon snack turning right into a “toad-ally superior discover.”
That’s what occurred for a Woodhouse’s Toad close to Meade, Kansas final month, when, doubtless misidentifying it for a worm, the amphibian tried to snack on a New Mexico Threadsnake.
These snakes (generally known as “blind snakes”) are a threatened species within the state of Kansas and solely develop to be about 5 to eight inches lengthy. To an untrained eye, additionally they look practically equivalent to a typical worm, with a pinkish-tan in coloration and tiny black eyes.
Biologists from the Kansas Division Wildlife & Parks’ Terrestrial Crew have been within the area in June, out “road-cruising,” or surveying an ecosystem for nocturnal reptiles and amphibians after they discovered the duo.
This effort is completed to guard and be taught extra concerning the space’s nocturnal species after they gravitate towards the warmth of the highway at dusk.
“KDWP Ecological Providers Division’s Biodiversity Survey and Evaluation Program has one terrestrial and two aquatic survey crews that focus primarily on gathering knowledge on Species of Best Conservation Want as designated inside the Kansas State Wildlife Motion Plan,” KDWP Ecological Providers Director Chris Berens advised KSNT Information.
“Because of the elusive and fossorial nature of this species, not a lot data [or] knowledge is out there for them. By means of these surveys, KDWP is hoping to gather knowledge on the Threadsnake’s habitat preferences and geographic distribution that may higher inform conservation efforts.”
That makes this discover particularly fortunate, because the survey group was capable of finding the toad making an attempt to snack on the small snake — earlier than it was misplaced to the stomach of the beast.
“These snakes are nocturnal and straightforward to overlook with their worm-like look, so think about the shock when our survey crew captured a Woodhouse’s Toad making an attempt to snack on the very species our crew was trying to find,” a social media publish from KDWP shared.
New Mexico Threadsnakes are normally discovered within the south central and southeastern counties of Kansas, alongside the Oklahoma state line, in keeping with the KDWP.
They’re additionally present in different components of the southern United States, like New Mexico, southern Colorado, western Texas, western Oklahoma, jap Arizona, and in some components of Mexico.
Whereas it doesn’t appear to have any federal designations, the species is protected by the Kansas Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act, and in keeping with Berens, KDWP groups have discovered simply 10 snakes up to now in 2024.
Happily, when you’re an ophidiophobe, it’s price noting that New Mexico threadsnakes are innocent; their defensive behaviors embrace writhing, releasing musk, and poking with their innocent tail spines.
Header picture courtesy of Kansas Division of Wildlife and Parks
