WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — It’s one of Florida’s most dazzling reptiles, but also one of its most endangered.

The rainbow snake hasn’t been seen in parts of the state since the 1950s, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking the public to help track it down before it disappears for good.

With shimmering black or violet-blue scales and three bold red stripes running down its back, the rainbow snake (Farancia erytrogramma), a nonvenomous species that is as beautiful as it is hard to find. But its numbers have dwindled in recent decades, and wildlife officials are sounding the alarm.

“We need help from Floridians and visitors to better understand where rainbow snakes still occur in the state,” said Kevin Enge, Research Scientist with FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “Every sighting report gives us valuable data about their current distribution and helps us assess the health of the species in Florida.”

The rainbow snake’s decline is tied to several factors: habitat loss, a shrinking supply of American eels (its primary food source), and the spread of snake fungal disease in other states. In Florida, the species is considered vulnerable, and one subspecies hasn’t been documented in over 70 years.

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Historically, rainbow snakes were found in places like Fisheating Creek in Glades County, but the last confirmed sighting there was in 1952. Today, the nearest known population is in Lake County in Central Florida.

According to the FWC, these semi-aquatic snakes prefer watery habitats — rivers, springs, and brackish marshes — and are most often spotted crossing roads on rainy nights or slowly gliding along the bottom of clear, spring-fed rivers.

FWC is urging anyone who spots a rainbow snake to report it online and, if possible, snap a photo. Visual confirmation is key to tracking the species and assessing its health across the state.

To report a sighting or learn more, visit FWC’s official rainbow snake page.

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