Called one of the most beautiful snakes in the world by some, the SF garter snake can be very rarely spotted crawling along the grassy terrain near San Mateo County, with its distinct, mesmerizing pattern of red, teal, and black scales flashing through blades of grass as it hunts for prey.
Alejandro Salazar ’26 recalled, “I remember learning about them in outdoor-ed and found them interesting. They aren’t venomous to humans and have a unique pattern on their scales.”
The San Francisco garter snake has been listed as on the endangered species list since 1967 and had only five existing populations left last year. However, on Sept. 11, 2025, organizations such as the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen), San Francisco Zoo, and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (GGNPC) created a head-start project for the San Francisco garter snake.
The goal of this critical recovery program is aimed at increasing populations of the snake in the San Mateo County area by collecting pregnant female snakes from the wild, housing them at the San Francisco Zoo while ensuring their eggs are hatched, and caring for the baby snakes until they are matured.
According to the Midpen website from 2025, “… its Conservation team reared an estimated 120 neonate snakes this year for release in 2026 when they reach a large enough size to evade predators. Their mothers were recently returned home.”
The snake has historically lived along the San Francisco-San Mateo County line along the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
SF Zoo volunteer Megan Wong ’27 stated, “One thing most people don’t know is that they are actually native to San Mateo.”
They dwell near both freshwater aquatic habitats and grassy areas. The SF garter snake uses its aquatic habitats for foraging during the day, and moves towards grassy areas to regulate body temperature and find cover from predators.
Over the years, their range of living has not lessened; rather, the population sizes of the snake has shrunk significantly due to issues such as habitat loss from urban development, invasive species, and illegal collection from humans.
According to the GGNPC website, “…these endangered creatures are quickly losing ground…they need the help of humans to protect their few remaining habitats.”
Snake owner Marcus Appleby ’26 remarked, “They are very pretty and are basically nonexistent in the city anymore, which is very sad.”
With this new head-start initiative, the SF garter snake continues to grow in numbers with the help of humans. Hopefully in the future, the snake will once again live in its original numbers throughout the San Mateo County.
