SB 765: State snake.

SECTION 1.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The giant garter snake is endemic to California, meaning it can be found nowhere else in the world. This snake was historically found throughout the Central Valley, but now its range is limited to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.

(b) The giant garter snake is the largest of all garter snake species. Adult snakes have been documented to reach 64 inches in length.

(c) The giant garter snake is an aquatic garter snake species and historically made its home in shallow, slow-moving streams, ponds, and marshes. Now, the snake is primarily found in agricultural areas, such as rice fields, where it uses irrigation ditches and canals, which resemble the natural marshes that had provided habitat for the snake.

(d) The primary threats to the snake’s survival are habitat loss and degradation. Agricultural conversion and urban development have resulted in the loss of over 90 percent of the Central Valley’s historic wetlands, ultimately reducing and fragmenting giant garter snake habitat. Water diversions, dams, and pesticide use also contribute to giant garter snake habitat loss. Predation by nonnative species and vehicular traffic may also threaten the species directly. In response to these threats, the giant garter snake was listed as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act in 1971 and threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act in 1993. Despite efforts under these Acts, the giant garter snake population has not recovered, and as California faces an uncertain future due to climate change, so does the survival of this uniquely Californian species.

(e) Declaring the giant garter snake as the official state snake of California will acknowledge the important place of the species in the ecology, agriculture, and water resources of California, as well as broadcast and reinforce the state’s commitment to protecting endangered species.