One of Ohio's endangered reptiles, the Eastern plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix radix), recently received a population boost. Thirteen juvenile snakes, born and raised at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, were released June 14, 2005 into the Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area near Marion, Ohio. These snakes, along with twelve others from the Columbus Zoo, will bolster the only known wild colony of this species in the state.

The Zoo houses a captive breeding colony of Eastern plains garter snakes. Snakes born at the Zoo are taken care of for about a year before release. Juvenile snakes have a better chance of survival after release in the wild than newborn snakes since the six-inch long newborns make a tempting target for predators.

The Zoo's "headstarted" snakes have been implanted with transponders and will be tracked and studied throughout their lives by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Eastern plains garter snakes are an endangered species in Ohio due primarily to habitat loss.