Shine: Coverboard surveys find endangered Kirtland's snakes and more

To measure the impact of our restoration projects, Sycamore is partnering with the Indiana DNR to monitor wildlife and habitat. Our Land Stewardship team has been assisting with surveys of reptiles and amphibians at many of our preserves along Beanblossom Creek and are conducting our own surveys as well. These studies include monitoring coverboards laid on the ground so snakes and other species can shelter underneath. To survey their populations, we lift the coverboards to count the species we find. At Shine and many other preserves along Beanblossom Creek, we are documenting healthy populations of the Kirtland’s snake (Clonophis kirtlandii), a secretive and burrow-dwelling species which is endangered in Indiana and throughout much of its range. We even counted 54 individual snakes in one day under coverboards at Shine in 2022, including a few Kirtland’s.

[@blonnberg]

Very cool!