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An elusive snake was spotted in Alabama for only the second time in 60 years.
The wild-hatched Eastern indigo snake was found last week, marking the success of the Indigo project, the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division said in a post shared on its Facebook account.
"The young snake was found yesterday and is the product of natural pairings among those purposefully released in Conecuh National Forest," the organization wrote. "The Eastern indigo project started in 2006, and the program started releasing captive-raised indigos in 2010. The goal is to release a total of 300 snakes over the years to improve the chances of establishing a viable population."
"The snake found yesterday indicates that the project is resulting in some thriving and reproducing indigos - just what we wanted! Reintroducing a species to its native range is a daunting task, and we celebrate each step of its success," the organization added.
The Eastern indigo snake is the largest snake native to the United States, having initially been found throughout the state of Alabama before going extinct in the 1950s, with habitat loss serving as the biggest factor, the Alabama Department of Conversation and Natural Resources said on its website.