According to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Institute's Facebook Post, Tracy Coulson spotted the colorful 4-foot-long rainbow snake while hiking through the Ocala National Forest. She was with Rebecca Boyer when she encountered the rare snake, known for its rainbow-colored black-blue back and red-yellow stripes, the Daily Mail reported.
"The Florida Museum of Natural History confirms that this is the first record of this species in Marion County since 1969," the group wrote. The museum also says that the rainbow snake is non-toxic and harmless. They speculate that recent changes in the water level at the Rodman Reservoir may have forced the snakes here to leave their shelters.
Seeing rainbow snakes in Florida is important, not only because these creatures are so elusive, but also because they are thought to be extinct in the region.
The Florida Center for Biological Diversity petitioned in 2010 to protect the South Florida Rainbow Snake under the Endangered Species Act. In response, the center said the federal government believed the Rainbow Snake was extinct the following year without conducting a thorough investigation to back up their claims. The center also offered a $500 reward for any conclusive evidence of the animal's existence.
Sightings by Ms Cauthen and Ms Boyer made it the first rainbow snake seen in the area in 50 years.