planted with wide spacing to encourage gopher tortoise populations [6].

DIRECT FIRE EFFECTS ON ANIMALS:

Because hatchlings do not use tortoise burrows they may be susceptible to fire mortality.  However, adult snakes may be able to escape fires while in their burrows [4].

HABITAT RELATED FIRE EFFECTS:

Fire exclusion in southern pine-scrub oak habitats is a major cause of habitat degradation for gopher tortoise and, therefore, indigo snakes [6].  The absence of fire allows oaks to mature and leaf litter to accumulate, making burrow digging difficult and herbaceous food scarce.  Studies of herpetofauna in Florida sandhill communities showed higher species diversity in young sand pine (Pinus clausa)-scrub oak habitats, which are maintained by frequent fire [8].  Experimental burns in these communities showed snakes used plots burned at 2- and 7-year intervals more than plots left unburned or burned yearly.  The effects of different season burns on gopher tortoises in Ocala National Forest, Florida, showed more burrows in July-burned areas than in February-burned areas at the first postfire year [9].  Preburn densities of gopher tortoise were not determined.

FIRE USE:

Landers and Speake [6] recommend burning indigo snake habitats every 2 years to maintain a young, open overstory and an abundant herbaceous understory.  This will provide good gopher tortoise habitat, which in turn will provide burrows for snakes.  Burning sandhill communities every 2 to 4 years will maintain open longleaf pine stands with understories of wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana) and turkey oak.  Burning in late summer where young indigo snakes have been released from captive breeding programs is not recommended because young snakes depend on dense herbaceous vegetation for cover instead of burrows [4].

REFERENCES:

• 1.  U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. 50 CFR 17.11 & 17.12. Washington, DC: [Publisher unknown]. 42 p.  [24413]
• 2.  Wood, Don A., compiler. 1994. Official lists of endangered & potentially endangered fauna and flora in Florida. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. 22 p.  [24196]
• 3.  Speake, Dan W.; McGlincy, Joe A.; Colvin, Thagard R. 1978. Ecology and management of the eastern indigo snake in Georgia: a progress report. In: Odum, R. R.; Landers, L., eds. Proceedings, Rare and endangered wildlife symposium. Tech. Bull. WL4.  Atlanta, GA: Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division: 64-73.  [21090]
• 4.  Speake, Dan; McGlincy, Donna; Smith, Cynthia. 1987. Captive breeding and experimental reintroduction of the eastern indigo snake. In: Proceedings, 3rd Southeast nongame and endangered wildlife symposium: 84-88.  [21091]
• 5.  Conant, Roger; Collins, Joseph T. 1991. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: Eastern and central North America. 3rd ed. Peterson Field Guide Series No. 12. Boston: Houghton Mifflin