A Hidden Disease Crisis Is Spreading Among Snakes — and Scientists Want to Know Why

Wild snakes in the southeastern United States are facing a disease problem that is harder to see than a sudden die-off. A new study found that many free-ranging snakes are carrying pathogens, with fungal disease, parasites, bacteria, and coinfections appearing across native snake populations.

The research, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science and reported by SciTechDaily, examined more than 500 snakes from 29 species. Most were captured at wildlife refuges in South Carolina and Florida, with additional samples collected across the southeastern US, giving scientists a broader look at a hidden health crisis affecting rattlesnakes and other native snakes.