The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission faces a pivotal decision regarding the redbelly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata). State wildlife and parks secretary Robin Jennison has urged the commission to vote against scientific recommendations to maintain the snake’s threatened listing under the Kansas Endangered Species Act.
The Kansas Threatened and Endangered Species task committee had earlier this year advised keeping the snake on the list. This coincided with legislative efforts to remove it, citing obstacles to development projects. Jennison argued that retaining the listing could lead the legislature to interfere with natural resource management, warning that political inaction might result in forced removal from the list. Elaine Giessel, Kansas Sierra Club endangered species chairwoman, called the situation unprecedented. She emphasized that overriding the task committee’s recommendations could undermine protections for nongame species in Kansas, a first in the act’s 40-year history. The redbelly snake is a nonvenomous Colubrid species found throughout North America. It primarily feeds on slugs and earthworms and can reach up to 12 inches in length. Some experts suggest the snake may be more reclusive than rare, adding complexity to the debate. The commission’s upcoming vote will determine the fate of this species, with potential implications for future conservation efforts in the state.
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