INSIST UPON PROTECTION FOR THE ALAMEDA WHIP SNAKE

Threats
Alameda whipsnake populations have declined from loss of habitat resulting
from urban expansion (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2000). Urban
development, particularly road and highway construction, has also fragmented
Alameda whipsnake populations and made them more vulnerable to extinction
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1997). Urban development adjacent to
whipsnake habitat increases the likelihood of predation from feral cats and injury
or death from public recreational use. Other significant threats to this species’
recovery include inappropriate grazing practices and alteration of habitat through
fire suppression (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1997).
Fire suppression alters suitable Alameda whipsnake habitat in 2 important ways.
First, fire suppression increases the chances of large catastrophic fires occurring
in areas where vegetation has become overgrown. A buildup of flammable fuel
loads in Alameda whipsnake habitat can lead to high intensity fire events that
may be detrimental to this species. Second, fire suppression leads to a closed
scrub canopy which tends to reduce the e diversity of microhabitats that
wwhipsnakes require(Swaim 1994).
Conservation and Management
The USFWS lists the Mount Diablo–Black Hills population of the Alameda
whipsnake as having a high potential for recovery if threats from urban
development, catastrophic wildfire, and grazing practices can be managed well
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2000). As of August 2003, there had been no
approved HCPs that cover the Alameda whipsnake or its habitat . At least three
HCPs that cover the species are in development Federal Critical Habitat
A final rule on critical habitat for Alameda whipsnake was issued in October
2000 by USFWS (USFWS 2000). This critical habitat designation included a
significant portion of the HCP/NCCP inventory area. However, in May 2003,
during preparation of the HCP/NCCP, Judge Anthony Ishii of the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of California invalidated the critical habitat
designation in response to a lawsuit filed by the Homebuilders Association of
Northern California. The Alameda whipsnake critical habitat designation was
remanded to USFWS for further consideration, including more detailed scientific
and economic analyses. It is unknown if and when critical habitat for Alameda
whipsnake will be reissued by USFWS.
Modeled Species Distribution in HCP Study Area Model Assumptions
All chaparral and scrub land cover within the inventory area was considered core
habitat for Alameda whipsnake. In addition, a perimeter zone of all adjacent
grassland, oak savanna and oak woodland within 500 feet of the scrub areas was
also considered core habitat for this species. Core habitat for Alameda
whipsnake is defined as home range areas in which individuals find shelter,
breed, hibernate, and spend the majority of their time foraging.
All areas of annual grassland, oak woodland, oak savannah, riparian
woodland/scrub and stream channels within a 1-mile radius of core Alameda
whipsnake habitat were considered suitable movement habitat for this species.
Rationale
Core Habitat: Direct observations of Alameda whipsnakes and radio telemetry
data on their movement patterns have shown that individuals tend to establish
home ranges primarily within coastal scrub habitat, but also frequently move into
adjacent grassland, oak savanna and occasionally oak woodland (Jennings 1983,
Stebbins 1985, Swaim 1994). Most telemetry locations are within 170 feet of
scrub habitat, but individuals have been tracked out to 500 feet (Swaim 1994).
Whipsnakes can remain in grasslands for periods ranging from a few hours to