High Elevation snake...

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reptilist
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High Elevation snake...

Post by reptilist »

Wandering Garter Snake at Aker lake in Greenlee County, 8,860' elevation.

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Tim Borski
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Tim Borski »

That's interesting and has me curious. Is there a record for elevation of a vouchered snake?
Tim
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Greg Huston
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Greg Huston »

Thats pretty high up there.

I've found pyros at ~8200ft near the Huachuca crest.

Here's a crappy in situ shot at over 8000ft (I've lost the original image).

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Andrew G
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Andrew G »

http://www.14ers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.p ... ke#p324213

This is a link to a page on a hiking board I frequent. It shows a very zoomed out poor quality picture of a snake that is supposed to be at 14,000 feet on Mt. Evans, (there is a road up Evans so could be planted there by a person easily enough I guess).
Paul White
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Paul White »

I never saw herps on Mt. Evans, but I lived at about 8500 feet and found wandering garters a few times. But I guess it could happen down at the base of the mountain?
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Bryan Hamilton
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

I have a note in herp review about a Crotalus lutosus that was above 13,000 feet and several others above 9,000 feet in eastern Nevada.

Adjusted for latitude, that's pretty high.

There are several reports of snakes over 10,000 feet in Mexico and I believe Crotalus pricei approaches 10,000 feet in Arizona. With climate change, both recent and longer term, we should see increases in the upper elevational limits of many species.
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ACK!
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by ACK! »

Very cool (& soon to be cold), reptilist!

I'm curious as to what other herps you might have seen up there for wandering garters to prey upon.



Bryan Hamilton: lutosus at 13,000 feet? (Wheeler Peak??) That's freaking amazing!!!
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Bryan Hamilton
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Bryan Hamilton »

ACK!,

The snake was within sight of the summit. It was pretty surprising. I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. If you want a copy of the note, PM me your e-mail address.
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Brendan
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Brendan »

C. triseriatus has been recorded at 15,000ft on Pico de Orizaba in Mexico. I believe this is the highest recorded crotalid and one of the highest recorded snakes in the world.

Bryan shoot me a copy of that paper as well. [email protected]
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yoloherper
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by yoloherper »

I have seen mountain garter snakes at elevations above 10,000 in the central sierras.
I googled highest altitude for snakes and got Thermophis a genus of snakes in Tibet that go up to
above 14,000 ft but like brendan said, i also saw that C. Triseriatus goes up to about 15,000 ft.
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justinm
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by justinm »

I found this one @ 8930', Wandering Garter. In Rocky Mountain National Park, which is why it's only a headshot. I couldn't get him out for a better look or shot.

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Brendan
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Brendan »

This snake was found just shy of 11,000ft
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will lattea
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by will lattea »

A quick google search says T. baileyi and T. zhaoermii have been recorded at over 14,000 on the Tibetan Plateau but I could have swore a recent documentary I saw on Nat Geo or something said they have been recorded at over 16,000... not that it would be the first time a TV show exaggerated about an animal. If you're not familiar with them I'd suggest taking a look- they survive the cold temps by living in the thermal hot springs. I wish I could remember what show I was watching because it had some pretty cool footage of them in the springs when the surrounding temps were near freezing.

-Will
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MassHorridus
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by MassHorridus »

Does this count?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4t6zNZ- ... re=related

Couldn't help myself...

Horridus loves it up here around 1ooo to 2ooo ft, but in New England, thats a cols and short season.

JB
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chrish
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by chrish »

I was bitten by this snake (C. triseriatus) at around 11,000 feet south of Mexico city. In fact, we parked at around 11000 feet and I found it quite a bit higher up on the slope.

Image

Temperature was probably in the mid 50s at the time.

No, I didn't die, but it wasn't a fun experience.

Chris
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jdustin
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by jdustin »

Yeah, you guys cheat with your lower latitude stuff. :)

Around here (northern Utah) I don't see anything that high. Too much snow seems to not allow a long enough season to reproduce, but it could just be me.
This pic was taken at only 7200 ft in MAY, and I had a very hard time getting there without snow shoes. Tore a nice pair of pants. :)
The area produces rubber boas and countless wandering garters once the conditions are better, but similar habitat up higher produces nada.
Image
Brian Eagar
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Brian Eagar »

In Utah we have lots of high elevation snakes.
I have found many wandering garter snakes above 10,000 feet.
I have found rubber boas up to 9300 feet.
Lutosus up to about 9000 feet.
Gophersnakes up to 8700 feet.
Whipsnakes up to 7500 feet.
Smooth Greensnakes up to 7500 feet. They are known from 9000 foot elevations in Utah.
Night snakes up to about 7200 feet.

Pyro's are known from several locations over 8000 feet in Utah but my max elevation was about 6500.
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jdustin
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by jdustin »

yeah, I knew it might just be me. ;)
Thanks Brian.
Buzztail1
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Buzztail1 »

jdustin, not to change the topic or anything, but I REALLY like that picture.
It is strangely moving.
Thanks for sharing.
R/
Karl
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chrish
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by chrish »

People in Florida frequently find snakes up to 345 feet. :lol:
paalexan
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by paalexan »

For what it's worth, I've seen Thamnophis elegans vagrans several times in the 8700-9000 foot range in the Sacramento Mountains and adjacent Sierra Blanca in New Mexico. I suppose the highest snake I've seen was at ca. 10,150 feet near Tioga Pass in the Sierra Nevada; presumably Thamnophis elegans, but it quickly swam into a very cold lake & I didn't get a great look at it. Given that the water was in the 30's Fahrenheit, I wasn't eager to wade after it. Yeah, I'm a wimp. Anyways, that's nowhere close to the 14,000 feet locations others are mentioning, but given that there was still a fair amount of snow on the ground in early July that site near Tioga Pass seemed to be a pretty marginal snake habitat.

For Crotalus pricei, "the" spot to find them in the Chiricahuas (you know, the one where some helpful folks have put up little flags marking the spots where they've found them) goes from about 8500 to 8700 feet. I was pretty entertained by the flags; I'd've thought the fish & game folks would be pretty reluctant to let anyone put in such obvious "look here!" signs. Don't recall if any flags were there when I visited the area earlier, but you could hardly miss them a month & a half ago...

Patrick
paalexan
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by paalexan »

FWIW, here's a nearby habitat photo by Tioga Pass:

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reptilist
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by reptilist »

I recall seeing a Wandering Garter Snake near Riggs Lake on Mount Graham last year.... That's around 9000' too.
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Kerry Nelson
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by Kerry Nelson »

I saw a garter snake on the summit of Clingman's Dome, 6,643 feet. Also once saw a rat snake on the road to the highest point in Georgia, a whooping 4,784 feet. We make do with what we've got on the east coast.

I think overall I'll gladly trade the lack of impressive mountains for a year round herping season. (nobody mention that you can do that in the southwest, too) :lol:
TimCO
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Re: High Elevation snake...

Post by TimCO »

I've found several vagrans above the 10500 mark. There plenty of garters on Mt Evans, but none at 14K. It's covered in snow nearly the entire year.

Bryan, will you send me that note on the 13K lutosus? I'd be interested in reading that.
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