BREC's Fauna Conservation Park Guide
This guide provides a resource for a majority of the animals that you may come across within a BREC Conservation Area. Make sure you use it as a checklist to document what you see at our parks! From turtles and snakes, to beavers and dragonflies use this to learn more about your local ...more ↓
Racer
Coluber constrictor is a species of nonvenomous, colubrid snake, endemic to North America and Central America. Eleven subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized, which as a group are commonly referred to as the eastern racers.
Mississippi Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus stictogenys, commonly known as the Mississippi ringneck snake, is a subspecies of Diadophis punctatus that is indigenous to the United States.
Common Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula (Common names include eastern kingsnake,common kingsnake,chain kingsnake, (more)) is a harmless colubrid species found in the United States and Mexico. It has long been a favorite among collectors. Eight subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Diamondback Watersnake
Nerodia rhombifer, commonly known as the diamondback water snake, is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid endemic to the central United States and northern Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies of N. rhombifer, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Gray Ratsnake
The gray ratsnake or gray rat snake (Pantherophis spiloides), also known as the central ratsnake, is a member of the genus Pantherophis in the subfamily Colubrinae. Within the genus Pantherophis, which includes ratsnakes, corn snakes, and fox snakes, the gray ratsnake is one of ten species.
Eastern Ribbon Snake
The eastern ribbon snake or common ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus sauritus) is a subspecies of ribbon snake found in the northeastern United States.
Western Ribbon Snake
The western ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus) is a species of garter snake, with several subspecies.
Eastern Garter Snake
The Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is an indigenous North American snake found widely across the continent. Most garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a brown or green background and their average length is about 55 cm (22 in), with a maximum length of about 137 cm (54 in). The average body mass is 150 g (5.3 oz).
Brown Snake
Storeria dekayi, commonly known as the brown snake or De Kay's snake, is a small species of colubrid snake.
Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys aestivus, commonly known as the rough green snake, is a nonvenomous North American colubrid. It is sometimes called grass snake or green grass snake, but these names are more commonly applied to the smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis). The European colubrid called grass snake (Natrix natrix) is unrelated. The rough green ...more ↓
Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus is a venomous snake, a species of pit viper, found in the southeastern United States. Adults are large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite. When antagonized, they will stand their ground by coiling their bodies and displaying their fangs. Although their aggression has been exaggerated, on rare occasions territorial males will ...more ↓
Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix is a species of venomous snake endemic to North America, a member of the Crotalinae (pit viper) subfamily. The common name for the species is the copperhead. The behavior of Agkistrodon contortrix may lead to accidental encounters with humans. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Rainbow Snake
Farancia erytrogramma (also known as the rainbow snake, and less commonly, the eel moccasin) is a large, nonvenomous, highly aquatic, colubrid snake endemic to coastal plains of the southeastern United States.
Eastern Worm Snake
Carphophis amoenus, commonly known as the worm snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid endemic to the Eastern United States.C. amoenus can be found east of the Mississippi, from southwest Massachusetts south to southern Alabama west to Louisiana and then north to Illinois. This species of snake protects a large range, and normally prefers a moist habitat in the ...more ↓
Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos, commonly known as the eastern hog-nosed snake,spreading adder, or deaf adder, is a harmless colubrid species endemic to North America. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Scarlet Milksnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides, commonly known as the scarlet kingsnake, is a nonvenomous species of kingsnake found in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States. They are found in pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks, prairies, cultivated fields, and suburban areas. Long thought to be divergent from other tricolored kingsnakes and milksnakes, Pyron & Bubrink ...more ↓
Corn Snake
The Red Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus), corn snake, or red rat snake, is a North American species of rat snake that subdues its small prey by constriction. The name "corn snake" is a holdover from the days when southern farmers stored harvested ears of corn in a wood frame or log building called a crib. Rats and mice came to the corn crib to feed on the corn, ...more ↓
Mississippi Green Watersnake
The green water snake (Nerodia cyclopion) is a common species of nonvenomous natricine snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Western rat snake
The western rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus), also commonly known as the Texas ratsnake,black rat snake, pilot black snake, or simply black snake, is a nonvenomous colubrid species found in North America. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Midland Water Snake
The midland water snake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis), a subspecies of the northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon), is a nonvenomous natricine snake, which is endemic to North America.
Glossy Crayfish Snake
Regina rigida, commonly known as the crayfish snake, is a species of snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Graham's Crayfish Snake
Regina grahamii, commonly known as Graham's crayfish snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake, which is endemic to North America.
Southeastern Crowned Snake
The southeastern crown snake (Tantilla coronata) is a common species of small colubrid snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Redbelly Snake
Storeria occipitomaculata, commonly known as the redbelly snake, is a species of snake endemic to North America. The following subspecies are recognized:
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus, commonly known as timber rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake or banded rattlesnake, is a species of venomous pit viper found in the eastern United States. This is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous northeastern United States. No subspecies is currently recognized.
Western Pigmy Rattlesnake
Sistrurus miliarius streckeri is a venomous pitviper subspecies found in the south-central United States.
Rough Earthsnake
The rough earth snake (Virginia striatula) is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid snake native to the southeastern United States. It was first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1766, as Coluber striatulus.
American Alligator
The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator or common alligator, is a large crocodilian reptile endemic to the southeastern United States. It is one of two living species in the genus Alligator within the family Alligatoridae and larger than the other extant alligator species, the Chinese alligator. ...more ↓
Eastern Glass Lizard
Ophisaurus ventralis, the eastern glass lizard, is a legless lizard species found in the Southeastern United States.
Mediterranean House Gecko
Mediterranean House Gecko, scientific name Hemidactylus turcicus (not to be confused with the Asian species Hemidactylus frenatus known as Common House Gecko) is a small gecko common to the Mediterranean which has spread to many parts of the world. It is also commonly referred to as the Turkish Gecko as represented in its Latin name. They are insectivorous, rarely ...more ↓
Eastern Fence Lizard
The eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) is a medium-sized species of lizard found along forest edges, rock piles, and rotting logs or stumps in the eastern United States. It is sometimes referred to as the prairie lizard, fence swift, gray lizard, or pine lizard.
Green Anole
The Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) is an arboreal lizard found primarily in the southeastern United States and some Caribbean islands. Other common names include the green anole, American anole and red-throated anole. It is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its ability to change color from several brown hues to bright ...more ↓
Brown Anole
The brown anole (Anolis sagrei) is a lizard native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, by being sold as a pet lizard, and is now found in Florida and as far north as southern Georgia, Texas, Taiwan, Hawaii, Southern California, and other Caribbean islands.
Little Brown Skink
The Little Brown Skink (Scincella lateralis), also known as the Ground Skink (which may refer to any Scincella species however), is a small species of skink found throughout much of the eastern half of the United States, and into northern Mexico.
Common Five-lined Skink
The (American) five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) is a species of lizard endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the seven native species of lizards in Canada.
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is the largest freshwater turtle in the world based on weight. It is often associated with, but not closely related to, the common snapping turtle. They are the sole living member of the genus Macrochelys, while common snappers are in the genus Chelydra. The epithet temminckii is in honor of Dutch ...more ↓
Snapping Turtle
The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a large freshwater turtle of the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida. This species and the larger alligator snapping turtle are the only two species in this family found in North America (though the common ...more ↓
Keeled Musk Turtle
The razor-backed musk turtle, Sternotherus carinatus, is a species of turtles native to the southern United States. No subspecies are recognized.
Common Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus is a species of small turtle native to southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. It is also known as the common musk turtle or stinkpot due to its ability to release a foul musky odor from scent glands on the edge of its shell, possibly to deter predation.
Red-eared Slider
The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), also known as red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world, as, among other factors, it is easy to maintain. It has, therefore, become the most ...more ↓
Mississippi Map Turtle
The Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni) is a subspecies of emydid turtle endemic to the central United States.
Eastern River Cooter
The river cooter (Pseudemys concinna) is a freshwater turtle native to the central and eastern United States, from Virginia south to mid-Georgia, west to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and north to southern Indiana. They are usually found in rivers with moderate current, as well as lakes and tidal marshes.
Gulf Coast Smooth Softshell
The smooth softshell turtle (Apalone mutica) is a softshell turtle of the family Trionychidae. It is endemic to North America.
Eastern Box Turtle
The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies within a group of hinge-shelled turtles, normally called box turtles. T. c. carolina is native to an eastern part of the United States.
Eastern Spiny Softshell
The spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. They get their name from the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of their carapaces, which are not scutes (scales).
