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No longer the world's rarest snake

The harmless and gentle Antiguan racer Alsophis antiguae is endemic to Antigua and Barbuda and was abundant until small Asian mongooses Herpestes javanicus were introduced in the 19th century. The mongooses hunted many native birds, reptiles and amphibians to extinction and reduced the snake population to just 50 individuals on Great Bird Island, an islet covering less than 10 hectares.

To save the world’s rarest snake from certain extinction, the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project was formed by a partnership of organizations including Fauna & Flora International, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Antiguan Environmental Awareness Group.

Although the surviving racers were safe from mongooses on their islet, they lacked room to expand and were being literally eaten alive by invasive black rats Rattus rattus. Project staff and volunteers therefore embarked upon an ambitious programme to eradicate rats using the brodifacoum rodenticide Klerat™, kindly donated by Syngenta. Eleven islands have been restored, and Antiguan racers have been successfully reintroduced to two.

This recovery effort was initially received with little enthusiasm by nearby communities, most of whom disliked snakes. However, a nationwide awareness campaign was successful in popularizing the racers and enhancing appreciation of the offshore islands, through the media, guided field trips, teacher-training and curriculum development, public talks and tour operator workshops. ‘Antigua’s Friendly Snake’ has appeared on stamps, phone cards, postcards, badges and t-shirts, a website and won a loyal following. There are now some 250 Antiguan racers living on three offshore islands, and their numbers are still rising.

Removing rats has led to a conspicuous increase in many native plants and raised hatching rates among nesting hawksbill turtles. Conserving the racer has also benefited other threatened Antiguan wildlife, such as the Caribbean brown pelican, least tern and West Indian whistling duck.

Today the project’s wider remit is to study, restore and conserve Antigua’s coastal landscape and all of its rare and endemic wildlife. Young biologists from across the West Indies are monitoring wildlife and habitats under the project’s internship scheme.

Fauna & Flora International continues to support the Environmental Awareness Group, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and other partners to ensure the recovery and sustainable use of this beautiful and fragile ecosystem.