Two-striped Gartersnake (California Garter Snakes)

Two-striped Gartersnake

Thamnophis hammondii

Distribution ³

Global Range: (20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)) The range extends from coastal California in the vicinity of Salinas, Monterey County, south to the vicinity of El Rosario in northern Baja California and disjunctly south as isolated populations to the La Presa region of southern Baja California, at elevations from sea level to around 2,450 meters (8,000 feet) (McGuire and Grismer 1993, Jennings and Hayes 1994, Rossman et al. 1996, Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003 ). See Ely (1992, Herpetol. Rev. 23:124-125) for recent records from Fresno County.

Habitat ⁴

Comments: This highly aquatic and amphibious snake is generally found in or near permanent fresh water, often along streams with rocky beds bordered by willows and other riparian vegetation, including mountain slopes and desert oases (Jennings and Hayes 1994, Rossman et al. 1996, Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003).