Wildlife officials want protection for SC snake on brink of becoming endangered

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking for a snake found in the Carolinas and Georgia to be officially classified as a threatened species.

The Southern Hognose Snake faces a likelihood of becoming an endangered species, according to officials.

These snakes play a vital role in ecosystems in the Southeast.

The southern hognose is native to Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, but can no longer be found in Alabama or Mississippi.

The snake faces threats from habitat loss, fragmentation, road mortality and non-native species.

The U.S. FWS published a proposal on Friday to add the southern hognose as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, creating greater protections for these snakes.

“Conservin