Scientific name : Pituophis ruthveni
Family : Colubridae
Native to : Louisiana and Texas
Interesting fact : The pocket gopher creates barriers by filling its burrow with sand, but the pine snake quickly digs through it with its pointed snout.
Conservation status : Endangered
Louisiana pine snake is a non-venomous snake adapted with a pointed snout to burrow inside a pocket gopher’s tunnel. These pocket gophers (burrowing rodents) are their favourite food and are often found close to them, though they also eat other mammals or birds. Pine snakes crush their prey with their powerful muscles and spend their winters hibernating inside gophers’ burrows.
