Reptile · GBIF taxon 2457545
Western Terrestrial Garter Snake
Thamnophis elegansAlso known as Wandering Garter Snake, Mountain Garter Snake
Western terrestrial garter snakes display remarkable ecological flexibility, thriving anywhere from dry sagebrush plains to high-altitude alpine lakes. Females give birth to live young late in the summer, producing litters of up to two dozen active snaklings. When threatened, these snakes quickly escape into thick brush or water, relying on a varied diet of fish, amphibians, and small mammals to sustain their widespread populations.
ReptileDiurnalViviparous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Tadpoles
- Slugs
- Mice
Predators
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Great Blue Heron
- Coyote
ThreatsHabitat loss, road mortality, water pollution
HabitatsGrasslands, forests, wetlands, streamsides, montane meadows
Life span5–10 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyColubridae
- GenusThamnophis
- SpeciesThamnophis elegans
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance; may bite or musk if grabbed.
Responsible observation
- Observe Basking Spots: Look along sunlit creek banks, log piles, and rocky outcrops during warm mornings.
- Keep a Respectful Distance: Avoid grabbing or cornering the snake to prevent defensive biting and musking.
- Watch Water Margins: Notice how coastal and streamside individuals readily dive into water to escape threats.
Predator (c) Basar, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Prey Pacific Southwest Region 5 / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative Wilson44691 / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative "Aquatic Garter Snake" by sarahstierch is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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