The narrow-headed gartersnake (Thamnophis
rufipunctatus) is a non-venomous, highly aquatic snake species that feeds
exclusively on fish. Its distribution is limited to two primary watersheds in
the states of Arizona and New Mexico in the USA, where the species is federally
listed as ‘threatened’. The population has declined due to a multitude of
factors, including killing by humans, habitat degradation and destruction,
competition with and predation by alien invasive species, changes in aquatic
habitat after forest fires, and inbreeding due to increasing isolation. However,
recent successes in captive breeding as well as translocation and release of
captive-born individuals give hope for the species’ survival.