Nerodia clarkii
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Nerodia clarkii, commonly known as the salt marsh snake or the saltmarsh watersnake, is a species of semi-aquatic, nonvenomous, colubrid snake found in the southeastern United States. Their range extends along the tidal salt marshes of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast from Texas to Florida, with an additional population in northern Cuba. The three subspecies of this snake are primarily distinguished by color pattern and geographic range.
Salt marsh snakes are the only U.S. snake species indigenous to saltwater habitats, being reported as common on coastal barrier islands without freshwater (Allen 1932). The specific name, clarkii, is in honor of American surveyor and naturalist John Henry Clark (1830–1885). Salt marsh snakes grow to a total length (including tail) of 15–30 inches (38–76 cm). They are also highly variable in both pattern and coloration. Found most commonly in coastal salt marshes, this snake inhabits brackish and saltwater habitats; it is also found hiding in crab burrows. Though salt marsh snakes are common in appropriate habitat, they have a tendency to be wary and secretive, so they... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Saltmarsh Snake sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 35th most-seen of the 35 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, March and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Saltmarsh Snake in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against under 5% in February, April–October and December, the lowest months. Those are among Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge's driest months, with about 65 mm of rain a month against 210 mm in September.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Saltmarsh Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Saltmarsh Snake sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Everglades National Park (United States, about 20%).
Same genus: Nerodia
The closest relatives of the Saltmarsh Snake that you can see in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (genus Nerodia, Watersnakes) are Banded Water Snake (about 20%) and Florida Green Watersnake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Saltmarsh Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (10 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
