Natricidae
Saltmarsh Snake
Nerodia clarkii
A closer look
One of the few snakes comfortable in brackish and salty coastal water. It is most often associated with salt marsh and tidal flats and typically feeds on fish and crustaceans.
- Habitat
- Salt marsh & tidal flats
- On the menu
- Fish and crustaceans
- Behavior
- Usually avoids people and uses cover or water as an escape route when disturbed.
Not considered venomous to people. Observe without handling, and never corner or relocate a wild snake.
Safety & bite guidance ↗Where it is listed
A sense of place.
Checklist presence only. A highlighted state is not a local range boundary. Territory tiles are schematic.
State & territory checklist
About continuous range data
A verified habitat-model layer is not available for this species in this release. Earlier broad sketches connected jurisdiction locations; they did not show measured occurrence or USGS habitat predictions.
Use USGS distribution resources ↗ for available modeled habitat data.
Names, sources & image evidence
Also known as: Saltmarsh Watersnake
Taxonomy: provisional. Territory checklist entries may be provisional. Field descriptions include broad group-level natural-history summaries.
Research Grade iNaturalist observation 5910056 has exact taxon Nerodia clarkii
Conservation & local rules
Collection, possession, relocation, and protection rules vary by state and territory. Check the relevant wildlife agency before taking action. Leave wild snakes where they are.