Snakes of Georgia and the Southeast

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Snakes of Georgia and the Southeast

Zoo Atlanta’s extensive Herpetology collection features an impressive representation of snakes native to Georgia and the Southeast, a number of which are found in the metro Atlanta area. Learn more here about just a few examples; visit the World of Reptiles to get better acquainted with the fascinating reptiles that share your environment! 

Copperhead – venomous

The southern copperhead ranges throughout wetlands and forests of the Deep South and mid-Atlantic, and west to parts of Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas. Distinguished by their copper-colored heads and brown-banded bodies, copperheads are easily camouflaged in brush and undergrowth and may strike if disturbed by humans or other animals. Copperheads are social, frequently sharing dens with other snakes. The species is most active in spring through early fall. Prey includes mice, insects, birds and small reptiles.

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake – venomous

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are found in dry pine and palmetto woods of parts of the American South, including mountainous and southern coastal areas of Georgia. These are some of the largest of North American snakes, ranging three to six feet in length, with distinctive brown and ivory diamonds along their backs. Characteristic rattles on the ends of their tails sound at the approach of a perceived threat. If disturbed, rattlesnakes coil their bodies defensively to strike or bite. Prey is almost exclusively limited to small mammals.

Although they are highly effective pest controllers, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are often exterminated as foes rather than conserved as friends. Unprovoked killing of rattlesnakes and practices known as “rattlesnake roundups” not only threaten snake populations, but they also eliminate an important part of the ecosystem.

Eastern hognose snake

The eastern hognose snake inhabits sandy habitats, fields and forests throughout coastal areas of the eastern U.S. The species gets its name from a distinctively upturned snout and exhibits scales patterned in brown, yellow, green, gray and black. Hognose snakes rarely bite, but they are efficient bluffers. Deceptive behaviors like playing dead or hissing and displaying in bluff “strikes” effectively deter many predators. Hognose snakes feed primarily on small amphibians, with a particular preference for toads.

Florida pine snake

Native primarily to Florida, pine snakes are occasionally found in other coastal areas of the southern U.S., preferring shady underbrush and deep sandy soils. One of the largest snake species in the Southeast, Florida pine snakes prey primarily on rodents, as well as some small reptiles and amphibians. Florida pine snakes are non-aggressive and are not known to bite humans. Impressive bluff displays include pronounced hissing and tail-twitching.

All snakes are important parts of their ecosystems, and few will engage humans without provocation. But as with any wild animal, a threatened or frightened snake may bite, and several Georgia species are venomous. The best way to approach a snake is to leave it alone! To learn more about identifying native species, or to ask questions about snakes in your area, visit http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/snakes/SnakeID/All.asp.