Natricidae
Brazos Watersnake
Nerodia harteri
A closer look
Found only in Texas and closely tied to fast, rocky stretches of the Brazos. It is most often associated with rocky river channels and typically feeds on small fish.
- Habitat
- Rocky river channels
- On the menu
- Small fish
- 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: No additional names recorded.
Taxonomy: provisional. Territory checklist entries may be provisional. Field descriptions include broad group-level natural-history summaries.
Commons file description identifies Brazos River Watersnake (Nerodian harteri) from Hood County, Texas; this is the selected accepted-name/synonym match for Nerodia harteri
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.