OCALA, Fla. — Imagine hiking along in the Ocala National Forest when a large, rare snake slithers into your path.
Tracey Cauthen found a rainbow snake that was about four feet long on her hike, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institution. And, that species hasn’t been seen in Marion County since 1969.
Biologists say they think the sighting might be because the drawdown of the Rodman Reservoir has this one on the move. These snakes spend most of their time in the water and are great burrowers.
While the snake is nicknamed the “eel moccasin,” it is not venomous like the more commonly encountered water moccasin.
You can read more about the rare serpent on the Florida Museum of Natural History’s website.
RELATED: Florida woman captures video of a snake getting stung by a bee - as it was eating another snake
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