While patrolling the Tongue Canyon Public Access Area, Dayton Game Warden Dustin Shorma observed a strange looking object on the road.  A closer look revealed it was a northern rubber boa snake that was sunning itself on the gravel. Shorma managed to get a few photos before letting the snake go in a safer spot.

Northern rubber boas inhabit the northwest corner of the state, south into Star Valley, east to the Bighorn Mountains and are considered a species of greatest conservation need in Wyoming. A secretive and mostly nocturnal snake, it often spends its time beneath logs, flat rocks, tree bark, and in stumps and rodent burrows. They are usually active from dusk and throughout the night and are found in the foothills and lower montane zones of Wyoming. They prefer areas with nearby water and are absent from arid areas. 

An article about rubber boas will be in the August issue of Wyoming Wildlife magazine. Magazines will be available for purchase at the Sheridan WGFD office the first week of August or you can subscribe to the magazine.

Because of their conservation status and infrequent sightings, if you encounter a rubber boa, please report the location to a regional WGFD office for inclusion in a statewide database of observations.