Black Pine Snake

The black pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi) is an egg-laying, non-venomous constrictor of southern Mississippi and southwest Alabama. Black pinesnakes are different than other pinesnakes in that they are black or dark brown on the upper and lower parts of their bodies. Some can have russet snouts or white scales on their necks. Some also will have vague blotches near their tails.  We listed it as threatened in 2015 because it may become endangered soon. 

The black pinesnake lives in south Mississippi and southwest Alabama. Records exist for the snake in Washington Parish, Louisiana, but it is likely no longer living there.

 * Alabama counties with records of the snake: Clarke, Mobile, and Washington

 * Mississippi counties with records of the snake: Forrest, George, Greene, Harrison, Jackson, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Stone, Walthall, and Wayne. 

It is not confirmed that the Lawrence, MS, record represents a population or an individual snake. The snakelikely no longer lives in Lauderdale and Walthall.

The black pinesnake is threatened because of the loss of its habitat. Populations of this snake are small and isolated, and random deadly events like snake fungal disease are a serious problem for this species. Also, as human populations grow in areas where the snake lives, the species faces threats from vehicle strikes and people killing the snakes intentionally. When populations of the snake become too small and isolated, the genes become too similar. This causes snakes to be born with serious health problems.

Effects from climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.

Learn more about climate change can also impact and/or reduce the snake’s essential longleaf pine habitat.