Monthly Meeting: Blue Racer Snakes

Once found on the Ontario mainland, the Blue Racer is now restricted in Canada to a single population on Pelee Island in the western basin of Lake Erie. Ryan Wolfe will explore the natural history of this remarkable snake, how Blue Racers likely arrived in Ontario, and what changes may have led to their disappearance from much of their former Canadian range. Ryan will provide an overview of what we currently know about the remaining Pelee Island population and share results from nearly a decade of conservation work, including habitat restoration, long-term population monitoring, demographic research, and population viability analysis. The presentation will also explore what this work has taught us about the challenges facing the population and the conservation actions that will be needed to give the Blue Racer the best chance of persisting in Canada over the long term.

Ryan is a Terrestrial and Wetland Biologist with Natural Resource Solutions Inc. and holds an M.Sc. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Toronto. Over the past decade, Ryan has specialized in the conservation and recovery of Ontario’s reptiles and amphibians, with a particular focus on species at risk. His work spans ecological research, population monitoring, habitat management, recovery planning, and environmental assessment. Ryan currently leads long-term monitoring, research, and habitat management initiatives for the endangered Blue Racer population on Pelee Island, with a focus on understanding the population and supporting its long-term persistence in Canada.

Doors open at 7:00 PM, presentation begins at 7:30 PM

Livestream and subsequent recording on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HamiltonNature/streams

Categories: In-person Event, Monthly Meetings, Virtual Meetings

Organizer: Program Director | programs@hamiltonnature.org