The fox snake is the common name given to two species of non-venomous snake.

The eastern fox snake ranges in the states of Ohio and eastern Michigan, and the Canadian province of Ontario in flat, marshy areas along the shores of Lake Huron and Lake Erie. The western fox snake occurs in the open forests, prairies, and farmlands of western Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. Their ranges are not known to overlap.

Taxonomy

Until recently the eastern and western fox snakes were considered to be subspecies of Elaphe vulpina, with the western fox snake being Elaphe vulpina and the eastern fox snake Elaphe vulpina gloydi. They were reclassified and each granted full species status. North American species of the genus Elaphe were reclassified to the genus Pantherophis, to differentiate them from the Asian species.

• Western Fox Snake, Pantherophis vulpina (Baird and Girard, 1853)
• Eastern Fox Snake, Pantherophis gloydi (Conant, 1940)

Behavior

Fox snakes are primarily diurnal and terrestrial, rodent feeding snakes, but sometimes will also eat birds, rabbits, and juveniles often consume frogs and other small animals. They kill their prey by constriction. Like many colubrid snakes, when harassed they will vibrate their tails, which frequently results in them to be mistaken for rattlesnakes. They are also capable of releasing a musky anal secretion which purportedly smells fox-like, hence their name.

In the winter months fox snakes will hibernate, often congregating with other snakes, even those of other species, in suitable den sites.

Fox snakes are extremely docile towards humans, and are not aggressive, even if cornered.

Reproduction

Mating occurs in the late spring and early summer months. A clutch averaging 15-20 eggs is laid in mid summer and normally hatches in early fall.

Conservation status

The state of Michigan lists the eastern fox snake as threatened, largely due to habitat loss. In Ontario the eastern fox snake is listed as threatened and protected by the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The extent of their decline is currently the subject of study by biologists at Queen's University. The western fox snake is listed by the state of Missouri as endangered due to prairie loss and wetland drainage.

External links

• Fox Snake - Elaphe vulpina Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide
• The Center for Reptile & Amphibian Conservation: Western Fox Snake
• Animal Diversity Web: Elaphe gloydi