In Canada, these snakes occur in two disjunct regions of southern Ontario: the Carolinian forest region along the north shore of Lake Erie in the southwest, and the Great Lakes/St. They can grow to be 2.5 meters long. Major threats to the Gray Ratsnake include habitat loss and But in recent years garter snakes, which may have arrived stowed away on hay bale shipments, have been found breeding in western Newfoundland. Gray Ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides) Status: endangered (Carolinian population), threatened (Frontenac Arch population) Elusive and secretive, the Gray Ratsnake is the largest snake found in Canada. It has keeled scales and a powerful slender body with a wedge-shaped head. Lawrence region in the southeast. Gray Ratsnake is also protected in Ontario under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, in which it is listed as a Specially Protected Reptile. The Gray Ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides), formerly known as the Black Rat Snake, can grow up to 2.5 m in length and is an avid tree climber. Two populations of gray ratsnake exist in Ontario: the Frontenac-Axis and Carolinian populations. Newfoundland is the only Canadian province without any native snakes. Lawrence Faunal Province) Ontario. It is Ontario’s largest snake and can grow to 185 centimetres in length. The Gray Ratsnake is a large snake that is native to North America and in Ontario it is only found in two locations: the Carolinian forest and Frontenac Axis. In southeastern Ontario, it can be found in a wide variety of natural and cultural habitats, although it has a preference for forests and forest edges. The eastern foxsnake has a yellow to light brown body with brown blotches down its back and two alternating rows of smaller blotches along the sides. The gray ratsnake is black with faint blotches, whereas the northern watersnake is dark brown with faint banding. The Gray Ratsnake is Ontario’s largest snake reaching lengths of up to 1.85 metres. The Gray Ratsnake has disappeared from much of its historic range along the north shore of Lake Erie due to extensive conversion of natural habitat to urban and agricultural uses. That makes it Canada’s largest. Non-legal status and ranks. The Gray Ratsnake is Ontario’s largest snake reaching lengths of up to 1.85 metres. In southeastern Ontario, it can be found in a wide variety of natural and cultural habitats, although it has a preference for forests and forest edges. In Ontario, Gray Ratsnakes are found only in the Carolinian forest region along the north shore of Lake Erie and in the Frontenac Axis region in southeastern Ontario. Our work focuses on the Big Creek subpopulation within the Carolinian region. However, within Canada, the Gray Ratsnake is confined to two geographically disjunct regions in southwestern (Carolinian Faunal Province) and southeastern (Great Lakes/St. The Gray Ratsnake is widely distributed and commonly found throughout the forested areas of the eastern and central United States. The gray ratsnake, which is found in Ontario, can grow up to 2.5 metres in length. The Carolinian population is made up of sub-populations that are highly isolated and appear to be quite small. Much of the Ontario distribution of this species overlaps with areas of high human population density. The gray ratsnake faces many threats, including habitat loss, road mortality and human persecution. The Frontenac Axis population was assessed by the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario Juvenile snakes have a mottled pattern that gradually fades as they age to become a sleek dark gray on the back with a white belly once they reach adult hood. 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