As their name suggests, rainbow snakes sport striking, iridescent scales that turn a glossy blue in the Sun. But these beautiful creatures haven’t been seen since 2020, so Florida officials are recruiting the public to help confirm they’re alive and well.

In a release published August 18, Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced it was on the lookout for Farancia erytrogramma , whose populations have been threatened by habitat loss and snake fungal disease in recent years. Rainbow snakes are nonvenomous and don’t pose threats to humans or pets, leading a semi-aquatic life and feeding on American eels.

“We need help from Floridians and visitors to better understand where rainbow snakes still occur in the state,” said Kevin Enge, an FWC scientist, i

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