CCI 2026 Lecture Series: Learning the 3 R’s of Eastern Indigo Snake Recovery

March 11, 2026 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM 574 S. Beach Road Hobe Sound, FL 33455 Learn more about the eastern indigo breeding program and how you can support major milestones! The longest snake native to the United States, the non-venomous eastern indigo snake can grow up to 8.5 feet long. Eastern indigo snakes used to roam widely across North Florida but by the mid-1980s they were essentially gone from the landscape, in part due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and were designated as a federally threatened species. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) recognized an opportunity to join in the effort to bring the snake back to its historic range and bring balance to the ecosystem. Decades of work culminated in releasing the first group of 2-year-old indigo snakes in 2017. Additional snakes are released each year as TNC and partners work to establish a self-sustaining population. Speaker: Cathy Ricketts The Nature Conservancy's Center for Conservation Initiatives Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve Manager