Colorful, endangered San Francisco garter snakes are getting a big boost in national parks
Efforts to protect threatened reptiles in California parks
Marisa Ishimatsu, StonePine Studios/WRA, Inc
One of the San Francisco Bay Area’s rarest species is getting a new lease on life. The endangered San Francisco garter snake, a striking reptile species known for its vivid orange, black, and turquoise stripes, is at the center of a first-ever head-start program and a sweeping habitat restoration effort in San Mateo County.
This year, pregnant wild snakes were carefully collected and brought to the San Francisco Zoo, where their young are being raised in a protected environment. The young snakes will be released in 2026, once they’re big enough to thrive on their own. Check out the San Francisco Chronicle article featuring this work.
Behind the scenes, the Parks Conservancy and our partners have been preparing the landscape for this moment. Since 2007, we've helped lead habitat restoration across more than 30 acres in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, improving conditions for both the snakes and the frogs they rely on for food.
New ponds now dot the restored land. Elevated trails and boardwalks allow visitors to enjoy the park while protecting sensitive areas.
“Our national park lands in the Bay Area are shining examples of how people and nature can thrive together,” said Christine Lehnertz, President & CEO of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. “With the help of our staff, volunteers, and partners, we’re creating a place where endangered wildlife like the San Francisco garter snake can flourish and visitors can connect with incredible landscapes.”
These sites are among the few remaining homes for the San Francisco garter snake. The head-start effort, backed by the Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, USGS, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, and other agencies, is designed to support population recovery in the wild.
With 35 threatened and endangered species in these national parklands, projects like this reflect the Parks Conservancy’s ongoing commitment to science, stewardship, and creating space for wildlife like the beloved San Francisco garter snake to flourish.
