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Throughout its range, the eastern indigo snake can be found in a wide variety of habitats depending on the region in which it is found. In peninsular Florida, eastern indigo snakes occur in diverse habitat types; including sandhills, oak scrub, sand pine scrub, mangrove swamps, wet prairies, cabbage palm-live oak hammocks, and pine flatwoods. Some eastern indigo populations in south Florida inhabit vegetated, rock-strewn canal banks surrounded by sugarcane fields or citrus groves. In the northern parts of the range (i.e., southern Georgia and northern Florida (including the Panhandle region) eastern indigo snakes appear to be dependent on gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows for winter dens, and are more largely restricted to sandy, longleaf pine habitats. Gopher tortoise burrows in these areas play a central role in the ecology of eastern indigo snakes, particularly during ecdysis, and their presence will be required in repatriation sites at these northern latitudes. Additional refugia used throughout the year include stump holes, hollow logs, root channels, limestone solution holes, and land crab burrows. In the Coastal Plain of Georgia eastern indigo snakes favor wind-blown deposits of sand 3-9 m deep which are located along the northeastern sides of major blackwater streams. These extensive 8 km long xeric ridges of sands support barren environments with stunted turkey oaks and a patchy ground cover of saw palmetto, rosemary, mints, and reindeer lichens. These upland areas are used by eastern indigos during winter months while lowland habitats serve as foraging areas during the rest of the year. Wildlife corridors are important in linking these seasonal used habitats. Site fidelity has been observed for adult eastern indigo snakes in Georgia; emphasizing the importance of long-term burrow viability. In the cooler months, eastern indigos bask in the vicinity of the gopher tortoise burrows they are using as refugia. Basking often occurs at temperatures of 15.5-22.2 ° C and at temperatures as low as 7.2°C.
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