Arkansas teacher, students reproduce endangered snake species in class

After years of effort, an Arkansas teacher and his students successfully repopulated a rare Louisiana snake species on July 21st.

Chance Duncan and his students at Russellville High School have been working to conserve and repopulate the rare Louisiana Pine Snake species since 2016.

On July 21st, Duncan and his students witnessed the hatching of four baby snakes from their eggs.

Russellville High School is believed to be the first institution to breed a critically endangered snake species, according to Duncan.

"This school district has been so supportive and helpful, Duncan shared. "They really care about the kids here and want them to have a great education. They go beyond to ensure I have everything needed to succeed."

The high school permits Duncan to keep snakes in class and provides the necessary supplies. Duncan, who has been at Russellville High School for eight years, states that the school equips students with the skills needed for college-level work. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to complete assignments not typically offered at other schools in Arkansas.

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The eight year experiment

Since joining Russellville High School, Duncan has kept different species of snakes for his biology classes. However, it was his homeroom students that set him off on this adventure.

The homeroom had a class called "Critter Care," where students took care of the snakes in the classroom by providing them with the necessary resources to survive.

Over the years, students took the class seriously and developed a passion for the pine snakes Duncan aimed to replicate, which he obtained as a male and female pair.

The female snake did not lay eggs for the first four years until 2020.

"During COVID-19, the female snake laid a couple of eggs, and my students were excited to learn the news," Duncan said. "I was ecstatic to see them hatch with my kids whenever school opened back home."

The school reopened, but unfortunately, Duncan's attempts to hatch eggs in 2021 and 2022 were unsuccessful.

"My 2023 homeroom class decided we should change the snake's environment after googling more about pine snakes' habitat."

The snakes were kept in a room with a temperature of 70 degrees, but the caretakers decided to lower the temperature to 60 degrees to allow the male and female snakes more time together.

"I usually separate the snakes after they mingle for a while, " Duncan said. "This time, I let them stay together to see if they needed more time to get to know each other."

On May 10th, the female snake laid five eggs. Seventy-one days later, four of the eggs hatched. Only one did not survive.

"The current and past students were happy and I most definitely couldn't do it without them," Duncan shared. "Eight years of hard work."

What are Pine snakes?

According to the Smithsonian's National Zoo, the pine snake is a non-venomous constrictor found in the southeastern U.S. in prairies and pine forests.

Pine snakes mate annually, starting at three years old. Breeding season lasts from April to May. Males of different subspecies fight to display dominance during breeding season.