Animal
Eastern garter snake
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
The most-common snake on Staten Island — a small (2–3 ft), non-venomous, dark snake with three lengthwise stripes (typically yellow-on-black or yellow-on-green). Eats earthworms, slugs, amphibians, and small fish. Active across nearly every habitat type on the borough — Greenbelt, parks, residential yards, salt-marsh edges. Often the first snake a borough resident encounters.
Scientific
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis is a 2–3 ft non-venomous colubrid. Diet: earthworms (favorite), slugs, amphibians, small fish, occasional small mammals and lizards. Notable as one of the few snakes that can tolerate amphibian-skin toxins — they can eat Bufo toads with high tolerance.
Live-bearer (gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs). Litters of 10–80. Active by day; hibernates communally in winter. Mild defensive bite plus a foul-smelling musk are the principal defenses; bites are harmless.
On Staten Island
Common borough-wide. Greenbelt, parks, residential gardens, salt-marsh edges. Often encountered basking on warm-weather mornings on rocks, sidewalks, garden walls. Beneficial — earthworm and slug consumption is a real garden-friendly service.
See also
Auto-generated from this entry’s typed relations: frontmatter, grouped by relation type so the editorial signal isn’t flattened.
- Member of: [[animal]]
- Contained by: [[staten-island]]
Sources
- [[beacon-ny|New York]] State DEC reptile species records
- NYC Parks Wildlife Unit observations
Rooted in life.
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