Saint Lucia racer  (Liophis ornatus)

Classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (3).

One of the world’s rarest snakes, the Saint Lucia racer is clinging to a precarious existence on the tiny Caribbean island of Maria Major (5). A relatively small, non-venomous snake, the Saint Lucia racer is distinguished by a comparatively short tail, and a stripe of dark brown that runs from the neck to the tip of the tail (6). Otherwise the body is a light brown, fading to olive whilst moulting, with a yellowish white on the undersides (5). A black band sits behind the large, conspicuous eyes, while the blackened pointed snout may have a scattering of yellow streaks (4) (6). In common with other Colubrid snakes, the two halves of the lower jaw are not connected, an adaptation that allows the Saint Lucia racer to swallow large food items (7).

Historically the Saint Lucia racer was found across the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, and the offshore Maria Islands (3) (8). However, today it is restricted to the tiny uninhabited island of Maria Major, having become extinct on mainland Saint Lucia, with a total range of less than a tenth of a square kilometre (3) (5) (9).

Maria Major is a dry, arid island, with large cactus thickets and low deciduous forest (5) (10).

Known from only a few specimens and sightings, very little is known about the biology of the Saint Lucia racer. This lack of sightings may be explained by its burrow-dwelling habits, as the Saint Lucia racer may enter the burrows of lizards to prey upon eggs, a unique behaviour within the Liophis genus, as most species prey upon amphibians in moist habitats (5). The Saint Lucia racer is thought to be diurnal; however, its breeding biology has yet to be described, but as is typical of most racers, it most likely lays eggs (1) (11).

The West Indies is considered a biodiversity hotspot for reptiles, with over 87 percent of snake species endemic to the region. However, the region is also characterised by having some of the rarest snake species in the world, many of which, including the Saint Lucia racer, are extremely close to extinction (12). Once widespread across the island of Saint Lucia and the neighbouring Maria Islands, the introduction of small Asian mongooses (Herpestes javanicus)  initiated a dramatic decline, resulting in the complete extirpation of the species from the mainland, restricting the species to its present day distribution (9) (13). As a ground dwelling, diurnal snake, the Saint Lucia racer is particularly vulnerable to predation by mongooses, and consequently it now occupies a vulnerable position, with a population that is critically small (5) (9) (13).  

Facing the very real threat of extinction, the survival of the Saint Lucia racer is dependant upon the implementation of major conservation measures. As it is restricted to the very small island of Maria Major, along with a further six reptiles, four of which  are Saint Lucian endemics, the Saint Lucian government declared the Maria islands a nature reserve in 1982 (5) (14). As a direct result of this, reserve wardens have been employed to take tourist tours to the island, and to monitor activities on the island, thus generating funds for conservation and ensuring the island’s fragile environment is preserved (5). The Saint Lucia National Trust has also operated tours to the island, with plans to revive this, and efforts are underway to prevent exotic species establishing on the islands (5) (14). 

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

For more information on the conservation of Saint Lucia, see:

• The Saint Lucia National Trust: 
  http://www.slunatrust.org/
• Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries:
  http://www.malff.com/