This species is found in habitats with dense canopy cover, dense undergrowth and a layer of leaf litter.

Red List Category

Red List Criteria

Version

2010

Daltry, J. & Mayer, G.C.

Böhm, M., Collen, B. & Ram, M. (Sampled Red List Index Coordinating Team)

Hedges, B., Powell, R., De Silva, R., Milligan, HT, Wearn, O.R., Wren, S., Zamin, T., Sears, J., Wilson, P., Lewis, S., Lintott, P. & Powney, G.

Alsophis antiguae has been assessed as Critically Endangered. This species distribution across Antigua and Barbuda has historically been reduced to a single population on Great Bird Island. Since 1995, the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project has led a reintroduction programme, and there are now populations on Rabbit, Green, and York islands, with the global population exceeding 300. However, the species extent of occurrence is only 0.65 km² (less than 0.1% of its natural range) and it is continually threatened by invasive species, inbreeding depression, and natural disasters. Continued conservation management, population monitoring and invasive species control are needed to guarantee the species persistence.

In 1995, J. Daltry demonstrated the population on Great Bird Island numbered 50 +/- 7 individuals. Since reintroductions on to Rabbit, Green and York Islands the population now exceeds 300 (Daltry et al. in press).

Increasing

Invasive mammals, in particular Black Rats and mongooses, are a major threat to this species and are responsible for its dramatic historical decline in abundance. Although the islands now inhabited have been cleared of invasive predators, re-invasions are a threat. Rats re-invaded Great Bird Island in 2001, but were eradicated the same year (J. Daltry pers. comm. 2010). In late 2005, rats reappeared on Green Island (Daltry 2006), probably transported by visitor boats, but these were successfully eradicated in 2006.

This species is threatened by loss of genetic variation due to its small population size: Genetic studies by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust have confirmed the species to be critically inbred, and fertility is low.

Hurricanes can cause flooding on the lowland areas of the island. J. Daltry (pers. comm.) observed a 20% population decline on Great Bird Island after Hurricane Georges in 1998, the storm surges of which flooded more than 10% of the island.

Visitors to the islands may disturb snakes and could affect feeding and mating behaviour. Incidents of visitors killing snakes have also been reported. In addition, activities such as mowing, trampling, and allowing camp fires to burn out of control may pose threats to the viability of the very small population of this species. Visitor numbers on Great Bird Island have gone up to over 40,000 visitors per year, which has gone up dramatically from only 17,000 visitors per year during the mid 1990s (J. Daltry pers. comm. 2010).There are also well-substantiated reports of snakes being taken as pets (J. Daltry pers. comm. 2010).

A reintroduction plan was established in 1999 by the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project, which focussed on the subspecies on Great Bird Island. Since then, the Antiguan Racer Conservation Project has eradicated alien mammals from 12 islands and successfully reintroduced the racer to three islands: Rabbit (1999), Green (2002) and York (2008). At present, there are no individuals of this species in captivity (J. Daltry pers. comm. 2010). Continued conservation management, population monitoring and invasive species control are needed to guarantee the species persistence.