Plains Hog-nosed Snake
Don Becker
L 15-39”. Tan to yellowish-gray with dark blotches and a black belly with yellow or whitish squares. A unique upturned nose with keel on top sets this snake apart from the prairie rattlesnake.
Status in North Dakota
Year-round resident.
Range Map
Plains Hog-nosed Snake primary range.
Reason for SWAP Designation
Identified as a Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
Threats
Dry grasslands preferred by hog-nosed snakes are fragile habitats and may be easily degraded or destroyed.
Hog-nosed snakes may be intentionally killed if mistaken for a rattlesnake.
It is unknown how pesticides, development, and other disturbance affect hog-nosed snakes.
Research and Monitoring
- North Dakota State has surveyed eastern ND Wildlife Management Areas for Herptiles and their habitats from 2014-2016 and 2019-2021.
- Currently no dedicated monitoring is taking place. Possible monitoring options could include the general public through an application like Herpmapper, the NDGFD incidental reporting system, or national monitoring initiatives such as PARC. Monitoring should be directed at all herptile species.
Management Recommendations
- Prevent overgrowth by shrubs and trees to maintain openness in grassland habitats.
- Restrict off-road vehicle use to preselected, less sensitive/lower quality areas.
Primary Geological Regions
Habitat Associations
Habitat Use
Prefer dry, sandy, or gravelly areas in grassland, open sand prairies, or sand dunes.
Sometimes mixed forest habitats and cropland may be used.
Burrow into the loose soil or may use mammal burrows for cover, but will not use artificial cover as much as other snakes.
Primarily feeds on amphibians, lizards, snakes, reptile eggs, and small mammals.