Northwestern Garter Snake
Thamnophis ordinoides
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusThamnophis (Garter Snakes)
- SpeciesThamnophis ordinoides (Northwestern Garter Snake)
About the Northwestern Garter Snake
The northwestern garter snake (Thamnophis ordinoides) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America. In the United States, T. ordinoides is found in California, Oregon, and Washington; in Canada, it is found in British Columbia.
The northwestern garter snake is small, with adults averaging around 13–38 in (33–97 cm) in total length (including tail). Its color and scale patterns are varied and can include small dark spots. Common vertebral stripe colors are white, yellow, orange, red, green, turquoise, and blue.
The northwestern garter snake is primarily found on the edges of meadows surrounded by forest, as the species requires a fair amount of sunlight for its survival. In British Columbia it can also be commonly found near bodies of both freshwater and saltwater, where it hunts small fish and amphibians. In scenarios in which it is too hot outside, these snakes can also be found under stumps and rocks in order to shield themselves from the sunlight.
T. ordinoides preys on slugs, salamanders, and frogs. Baird SF, Girard CF (1852). "Descriptions... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Northwestern Garter Snake in Redwood National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Redwood National Park
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Western Terrestrial Garter Snake
Thamnophis elegans
Aquatic Garter Snake
Thamnophis atratus
Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
Forest Sharp-tailed Snake
Contia longicauda
California King Snake
Lampropeltis californiae
California Mountain Kingsnake
Lampropeltis zonata
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Northwestern Garter Snake in Redwood National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Northwestern Garter Snake sighting in Redwood National Park, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Northwestern Garter Snake in Redwood National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Northwestern Garter Snake in Redwood National Park in our monthly data.