Download Sharp-tailed Snake

snake photos: Laura Matthias
Endangered
Species Profile:
Sharp-tailed Snake
Speaking of small
Sharp-tailed snakes are one of
the smallest snakes in the province.
Adults are about as long as a
ruler and as thick as a pencil.
Hatchlings are so tiny they
could fit on the surface of a
quarter, all coiled up!
Reclusive reptiles
Sharp-tailed snakes are secretive.
They like to hide under rocks and in
decaying logs, and are rarely found out in the open.
Eggs-cellent
You might find a sharp-tailed snake near a
secluded rocky slope. The rocks absorb heat and help
keep the snakes – and their eggs – warm. They are
one of only four egg-laying snakes in British Columbia.
Females may actually lay their eggs together at a
communal, or shared, site. Each female lays from three
to five eggs in the late spring or early summer. The eggs
hatch in the fall.
Slime for supper
What satisfies a hungry sharp-tailed snake?
Slugs! Sharp-tailed snakes are specially adapted
to eating slugs. They have long teeth to help them
grip and swallow their slippery prey. They are also
most active when it is cool and wet out – the same
conditions slugs prefer!
Home, sweet home
Sharp-tailed snakes are found only on the Gulf
Islands and southern Vancouver Island. There, they
inhabit a special ecosystem called the coastal
Douglas fir ecosystem. This ecosystem is at risk
from human activities such as logging and urban
development – activities which threaten the snakes as
well. Sharp-tailed snakes also face threats from
vehicles and outdoor cats.
Help the sharp-tailed snake!
Sadly, the sharp-tailed snake is
endangered. One way to help them is by
asking the provincial government to
create a law that protects endangered
species. You can sign a petition by visiting
lastplaceonearth.ca.
You can also download copies of the petition from
protectbiodiversity.ca/downloads/ and have
your family, friends and classmates sign it.
Should you be lucky enough to live in an area with
sharp-tailed snakes or other snakes, you can
adopt snake-friendly gardening. Provide snakes with
cover such as rock piles and
hedges. Avoid using pesticides,
especially slug bait. Protect
snakes by keeping your cats
indoors or supervising them
when they are outside.
Adult
Bark!
Did you know that British Columbia is home to a tiny,
slug-eating snake with a spiky tail? Meet the
sharp-tailed snake!
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