A species was found hundreds of miles away from its supposed restricted area.
Wildlife officials were called to a forested section of a mining site in Brazil to identify seven snakes found within the land clearing.
They were identified as green vine snakes. According to a report by The State, it was “the first time this species [had] ever been recorded in” that habitat.
Oxybelis fulgidus primarily thrives in the trees; they were found after being shaken from their dwellings as the site was cleared of flora.
One of the snakes had been injured during the operation, so scientists had the opportunity to study it more closely as it recovered.
The snake was measured to reach over 6 feet long and had an “elongate, slender head, pointed snout, and a uniform green dorsal body surface,” according to the researchers’ findings published in the Journal of Biodiversity Data.
Finding a species like the green vine snake so far from where it was assumed to be restricted is an exciting step in measuring biodiversity across habitats.
The green vine snake is most common in tropical regions and rainforests. However, with the discovery of the species in an arid area such as the Brazilian savannah, the map of how far species can spread from their perceived origin points expands.
Discoveries like these are crucial to further understanding the different ecosystems of changing biomes and how they can grow over time.
Catching sight of and studying important species like the green vine snake consistently provides further insight into the necessity of biodiversity. Oftentimes, making such discoveries is only possible with key technologies, such as trail cameras.
Trail cameras are a noninvasive, safe way to observe flora and fauna in their day-to-day lives without disrupting them. Using cameras placed in specific, key locations, such as frequent watering holes or nests, allows humans a direct view of which species live where and how they function when uninterrupted.
This, in turn, leads to discoveries such as the green vine snake, furthering understanding of biodiversity and the spread of species across the globe.
In addition, implementing trail cameras in places where rehabilitation is taking place or where animal health needs to be monitored is the least invasive way to ensure the betterment of the environment.
Diverse ecosystems lend themselves to more comfortable, convenient survival for all involved, including humans. When the environment is rich in a variety of creatures and plants, people benefit through an increased and steady food supply.
Furthermore, the researchers emphasized that the snakes’ presence “reinforces the importance of these ecosystems for the maintenance of local biodiversity.”
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