World’s rarest snake back from the brink of extinction

Conservationists have made incredible progress in saving the rarest snake on the planet, the Antiguan racer (scientific name: Alsophis antiguae). The population has dramatically spiked from just 50 individuals in the mid-nineties to over 500 today.

The ten-fold increase is due to the successful partnership of six local and international organizations that make up the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project . The initiative has carried out nation-wide environmental education, the removal of alien rats that attacked the snakes and a pioneering captive breeding and reintroduction programme. Remarkably, the snake conservation efforts have also benefited other native wildlife, with the number of birds having increased by 30-fold in 15 years.

Research by British and Antiguan scientists in 1995 discovered only 50 Antiguan racers survived, all confined to the 8-hectare, Great Bird Island, off the coast of Antigua . The mongoose, an Asian species introduced by humans, wiped out the snakes from mainland Antigua, while Eurasian black rats, another alien species, continued to attack the last of the species on Great Bird Island. The defenceless snakes were also killed by people. Hence, the creation of the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project was an emergency bid to save the critically endangered species from imminent extinction.

Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Project has removed rats from 12 offshore islands and increased the snake population by ten-fold. Through careful re-introduction of individual snakes, the area occupied by the Antiguan racer has been boosted eight-fold to 63 hectares. The snakes have become accepted, even liked, by local residents and visitors. Trained local volunteers monitor the wildlife and keep their islands rat-free. The Antiguan racer still faces many challenges, including global sea level rise, but a new action plan is being developed which is expected to find additional areas where the snakes can be re-established and protected.

“I am proud we proved the pessimists wrong, and turned the fortunes of this unique and endearing animal”, said Dr Jenny Daltry,

Conservationists have made incredible progress in saving the rarest snake on the planet, the Antiguan racer (scientific name: Alsophis antiguae). The population has dramatically spiked from just 50 individuals in the mid-nineties to over 500 today.

The ten-fold increase is due to the successful partnership of six local and international organizations that make up the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project. The initiative has carried out nation-wide environmental education, the removal of alien rats that attacked the snakes and a pioneering captive breeding and reintroduction programme. Remarkably, the snake conservation efforts have also benefited other native wildlife, with the number of birds having increased by 30-fold in 15 years.

Research by British and Antiguan scientists in 1995 discovered only 50 Antiguan racers survived, all confined to the 8-hectare, Great Bird Island, off the coast of Antigua. The mongoose, an Asian species introduced by humans, wiped out the snakes from mainland Antigua, while Eurasian black rats, another alien species, continued to attack the last of the species on Great Bird Island. The defenceless snakes were also killed by people. Hence, the creation of the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project was an emergency bid to save the critically endangered species from imminent extinction.

Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Project has removed rats from 12 offshore islands and increased the snake population by ten-fold. Through careful re-introduction of individual snakes, the area occupied by the Antiguan racer has been boosted eight-fold to 63 hectares. The snakes have become accepted, even liked, by local residents and visitors. Trained local volunteers monitor the wildlife and keep their islands rat-free. The Antiguan racer still faces many challenges, including global sea level rise, but a new action plan is being developed which is expected to find additional areas where the snakes can be re-established and protected.

“I am proud we proved the pessimists wrong, and turned the fortunes of this unique and endearing animal”, said Dr Jenny Daltry, FFI Senior Conservation Biologist. “Many people have contributed over the years, but special credit must go to the local volunteers. This success is a testament to their dedication.”

Removing rats from a dozen offshore islands has benefitted many other Antiguan species beyond the snake. For example, Caribbean brown pelicans have increased from only two breeding pairs to more than 60 pairs on the first islands to be restored, while rare white-crowned pigeons have exploded from five pairs to more than 450 pairs. Sea turtles and lizards have also benefitted from reduced predation of their eggs by rats and even the plant life has improved.

FFI Senior Conservation Biologist. “Many people have contributed over the years, but special credit must go to the local volunteers. This success is a testament to their dedication.”