Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis • Squamata, Serpentes, Colubridae, Natricinae, Thamnophis, Thamnophis sirtalis
Widespread throughout North America, ranging from southern Canada down to Florida and parts of Mexico.
Look up Common Garter Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Squamata, Serpentes, Colubridae, Natricinae, Thamnophis, Thamnophis sirtalis
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution and high adaptability to human-altered environments.
Physical Description
Displays a dark brown to black dorsal body coloration with longitudinal light stripes running down the length, accompanied by keeled scales and a slender build.
Size & Dimensions
The pictured specimen is estimated around 50 cm, with adults typically ranging from 46 to 130 cm in total length.
Habitat
Found in diverse habitats including meadows, marshes, woodlands, and suburban lawns, typically near permanent or temporary water sources.
Diet & Feeding
An active forager feeding primarily on amphibians, earthworms, small fish, and occasionally other small vertebrates.
Reproduction
Viviparous species giving birth to live young, with litters often containing 10 to 40 offspring produced during late summer.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution and high adaptability to human-altered environments.
Cultural Significance
Serves an important ecological role as both predator and prey, helping control invertebrate and amphibian populations in local ecosystems.