Black pine snakes have been added to list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The snake, which can grow to a length of about six feet, is found only in some areas of Mississippi and Alabama.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has released some exemptions that can help the snake species to recover its declining population. The snake has been added to the list as a threatened species, which means the species is at risk of becoming endangered in near future. As the species has been added to the list, it will be granted a series of exemptions that can benefits in its recovery.

The decision to add the species in the list is part of efforts of FWS to implement a settlement approved by a court under a Multi-District Listing agreement. Cindy Dohner, Southeast Regional Director of FWS, said the exemptions have been given to the species to provide flexibility to landowners without affecting population of the black pine snake. The service’s objective to provide landowners a way to continue managing their land, Dohner added.

“We realize how important active management is for the health of a forest, and our decision today will allow for active management and continued healthy ecosystems to help us recover the black pinesnake together”, Dohner said.

FWS revised the exemptions for the species after collecting data from state conservation agencies, the forest products industry, and others.

“We crafted the exemptions to provide landowners flexibility to manage for their objectives while still affording conservation benefits to the black pinesnake,” said Cindy Dohner, the Service’s Southeast Regional Director. “The Service wants landowners to continue managing their land for forestry and keep working lands working.