Aberrant pattern NC coral snake

Well this is a weird little fellow that turned up with a minor injury at a state park. Rangers called me to provide care for the little guy. He has saddles outlined in yellow instead of bands, and his belly is nearly solid red with only one complete black crossband except in the tail region.

The injury was fortunately minor and he's fine after a week of observation in quarantine and topical treatment. He is scheduled for re-release tomorrow, at which time I will also be taking photographs of the animal in its natural habitat. Sorry, I've been a bit too busy to snap any pics so far, but release day will get some shots in context of the habitat.

To the folks who have already heard and offered $$, sorry guys, this little one needs to go back into the wild population as there ar far too few of these snakes left in this state. If anybody was going to keep him it would be me, but I won't. He'll be just fine in the protected state park he came from. The rangers see about five corals a year in this area. I'd be very curious to know if all of them have this unusual coloration.

I can't wait for the pictures.

That makes two of us! I saw my first coral in over a year the other night while road cruising. The Eastern Coral has to be the most beautiful snake in North America.

I hope everything is going well for you in NC Tanith. Are you planning to attend the Daytona Expo next month?

A good example of why using silly nursery rhymes to distinguish hot from not can get someone killed...eagerly awaiting pics of the snake