Invasive snakes are about to wipe out all reptiles on the Spanish island

The Spanish king snake became a ferocious reptile-eater when it was brought to the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.

The California King Snake is not a threat to humans.

Experts from the Island Ecological and Evolutionary Research Organization of the Spanish Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology discovered an invasive snake that has destroyed almost all native reptiles on the island of Gran. Canaria. In a study published December 6 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Julien Piquet and Marta López-Darias compared environments affected by the introduction of invasive snakes and those without the species.

In 1998, the California king snake was brought to the island of Gran Canaria. After that, some animals escaped from the cage or their owners let them go. From there, these snakes mate, breed, and invade the island. In the new study, scientists looked at the impact of king snakes on the island's reptile population.

The California king snake is native to the western United States and Mexico. They are non-venomous, colorful, and can grow up to 150 cm long. King snakes are usually active during the day but they can turn to night in some cases when temperatures soar. Their diet includes birds, mice, amphibians and reptiles. King snakes are harmless to humans, although they sometimes bite people. Because they are popular pets, they are transported to many parts of the world.

The team noted that the reptile population on Gran Canaria, the third largest island in the Canary Islands, is declining. To find out if that had anything to do with the California king snake, they surveyed the reptile population in Gran Canaria and nearby islands that were free of invasive snakes. They found that the population of giant reptiles in Gran Canaria was 90% lower, ball lizards reduced by 80% and geckos by 50%. The finding shows just how big of an impact invasive snakes can have. The study results also show the importance of managing the introduction of invasive species, especially in areas with sensitive ecosystems such as islands.