The Eastern Fox Snake (Elaphe gloydi) is a North American Rat Snake. It was recently split from its phylogenetically similar cousin the Western Fox Snake (Elaphe vulpina), of which it had been considered a subspecies, and now has full species recognition.
The Eastern Fox Snake prefers to live in marshes and other wetlands, as well as in the adjacent fields and meadows. They are found in the Eastern Great Lakes region. Both species of Fox Snake live in the state of Michigan. The Western Fox Snake lives in the Upper Peninsula, where it is known as the Pine Snake. The Eastern Fox Snake lives in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. They can also be found in Ohio in the United States and in Western Ontario in Canada. Historically, Eastern Fox Snake populations occurred in New York, but is now extirpated.
