The North Carolina Sandhills and Their Wildlife

What are the Sandhills?

The Sandhills region of North Carolina, located in the south-central part of the state, spans across eight counties: Richmond, Scotland, Hoke, Cumberland, Harnett, Lee, Montgomery, and Moore. This unique area is characterized by its sandy soils, which can reach depths of up to 80 feet in some locations, though more commonly, the sandy layer is between five and ten feet deep (NC Forest Service). The well-drained, low-nutrient soils create a typically dry environment, challenging for many plants. However, despite these seemingly inhospitable conditions, the Sandhills are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in North America, demonstrating a fascinating ecological paradox (Wildlife Society).

The Sandhills’ distinctive ecosystems include longleaf pine savannas, which are not confined to this region but are prominent here. The dry conditions have led to a complex relationship between the flora and fungi. While the ecosystem relies on a network of mycorrhizal fungi to share resources among plants, the presence of mushrooms, which indicate moisture, raises intriguing questions about the underlying dynamics of this habitat. Much remains unknown about the mycology of the Sandhills, and the loss of natural areas each year complicates efforts to understand these systems fully. 

Hydrologically, the Sandhills feature various wetland types, including wet pine flatwoods, small depressional ponds, vernal pools, and beaver

ponds. Water retention in these wetlands is crucial, especially given the dramatic shifts in water flow due to seasonal fires that regularly reshape the landscape. This mosaic of habitats supports a diverse range of species, including many amphibians and reptiles that rely on the ephemeral wetland habitats for breeding. 

Land use changes and habitat fragmentation by human influence threaten these vital wetlands, which are often overlooked despite their ecological significance. As the landscape fractures, conservation efforts are increasingly focused on preserving these fragile areas. The preservation of the Sandhills and longleaf pine ecosystems requires private landowners to engage in conservation practices that can help protect their unique biodiversity.

Fire plays a critical role in maintaining the ecological balance of the Sandhills. Regular burning helps prevent the encroachment of hardwood trees into longleaf pine savannas; broad hardwood leaves shade the understory and decrease herbaceous plant species diversity. Without fire, these ecosystems succeed into less diverse deciduous forests, altering both habitat structure and composition – impacting endemic plants and wildlife which can only live in the more temperate, northern reaches of the longleaf range. 

Wildlife in the Sandhills

As a unique ecological zone nestled between the southern regions of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, the Sandhills region of North Carolina boasts a rich diversity of wildlife, including several species that thrive in its sandy soils and longleaf pine forests. Such species include red-cockaded woodpeckers, St. Francis satyrs, ornate chorus frogs, eastern indigo snakes, Bachman’s sparrows, and many more.

Southern Hognose Snake (Heterodon simus)

The southern hognose snake, a native species of the Sandhills, is listed among North Carolina’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need. This small snake typically grows to lengths of 18 to 22 inches. Its distinctive feature is the sharply upturned snout, which resembles that of a hog.

Southern hognose snakes are found exclusively in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida, where they inhabit Sandhills, pine flatwoods, and the Coastal Plain. They rely on grassy understories and sandy soils and feature a distinct pattern of dark splotches on a tan background that allows them to blend into these environments.

Partially fossorial, southern hognose snakes dig burrows underground, spending much of their time hidden and emerging primarily to feed on a diet of frogs, toads, and lizards (The Wildlife Society – Florida).

Among the threats to southern hognose snakes are habitat destruction, suppression of controlled burns, introduction of the invasive red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), and predation, particularly from humans.

Fire Suppression: Southern hognose snakes inhabit the Sandhills region of North Carolina, which features various habitat types dependent on controlled burns to maintain the understory, especially in longleaf pine savannas. Without these burns, the understory can become overgrown, reducing grassy areas and allowing invasive species to flourish, altering the habitat in ways detrimental to Southern hognose snakes.

Red Imported Fire Ant: This invasive species has potentially contributed to the decline of southern hognose snake populations. It entered the Sandhills region of North Carolina in the 1980s but was present in the Coastal Plain much earlier. Southern hognose snakes depend on crypsis, the ability to blend into their surroundings for protection. However, this adaptation is ineffective against the predatory behavior of fire ants, which can overwhelm snakes when they are concealed (Beane et al, 2014).

Human Impact: Unfortunately, the misidentification of southern hognose snakes as venomous rattlesnakes often leads to them being killed. Southern hognose snakes are harmless to humans, and all snakes should be given plenty of space during human-wildlife encounters. If a venomous snake needs to be removed, it’s best to contact the appropriate authorities rather than attempting to handle it yourself.

Due to these and other threats, southern hognose snakes have been completely extirpated from Alabama and Mississippi, as well as many areas in states where they can still be found. A 2014 study noted that, despite stability in certain regions, the southern hognose snake “has become extremely rare to absent in much of its former range in North Carolina” (Beane et al., 2014).

Habitat Restoration in the Piedmont

Policies and programs beneficial to longleaf pine habitat also contribute to the protection and conservation of species like the southern hognose snake.

NCWF is actively engaged in protecting, conserving, and restoring these longleaf pine habitats through on-the-ground efforts of partners and NCWF’s Community Wildlife Chapters and is currently in the process of coordinating large-scale longleaf pine habitat improvements for RCWs and other wildlife species, but statewide chapter work to restore RCW habitat is already underway. Read More…

What You Can Do To Help

Learn:

• Sandhills habitats – including longleaf pine habitats, among others – are important for wildlife, from red-cockaded woodpeckers to southern hognose snakes. Learn more about this important habitat type using the links below:

Southern Hognose Snake – NCWRC

The Importance of Controlled Burning

Act:

• Learn what ecosystem your house was built in and what the landscape used to look like where you live. Consider the impacts you may be having on habitat shared with species like southern hognose snakes.
• Often, all that is necessary to prevent harmful human/snake interactions is keeping a safe and respectful distance upon sighting a snake. If a venomous snake is in an area where it may lead to dangerous encounters with humans, contact a helpline for safe removal.

Post-burn Datana Moth (Datana ranaeceps)

The post-burn datana moth is a member of the moth family Notodontidae. It inhabits mesic to xeric open pinelands, particularly in areas abundant with heath plants, especially staggerbush, which serves as a common food source for the species (NatureServe).

As their name indicates, post-burn datana moths are typically found in recently burned areas after natural or controlled fires. In North Carolina, apart from two undescribed locations, these moths have only been identified in longleaf pine habitats, primarily within wet savannas, flatwoods, seepage areas, or peatland ecotones adjacent to Sandhills habitats (NC State Parks).

As a fire-dependent species, post-burn datana moths are severely impacted by fire suppression in longleaf pine ecosystems. The absence of fire hinders the growth of essential food sources and breeding habitats necessary for their survival.

What You Can Do To Help

Learn:

• Controlled burns are critically important for many species living in the Sandhills region, and particularly those in longleaf pine ecosystems. Learn more about the habitat building potential of controlled burning through these links:

Forest Dynamics – On Wildlife and Ecological Succession

Prescribed Fire

Prescribed Fire: What North Carolina Citizens Need to Know

Act:

• Engage in sustainable land management practices that support diverse ecological communities, and understand the significance of controlled burns, especially in longleaf pine ecosystems.
• If you are a private landowner interested in utilizing controlled burning on your property, contact your local Prescribed Burn Association and consider becoming a certified burner through the North Carolina Forest Service’s Certified Burner Class. Do not attempt to use controlled fire without the correct training.

Carolina Gopher Frog (Lithobates capito)

The Carolina gopher frog belongs to the amphibian family Ranidae and is classified as State Endangered in North Carolina. It exists in scattered populations across the North Carolina Sandhills and southeastern Coastal Plain, including South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

This species is elusive, which has made it challenging to study their breeding habits. Their name comes from their use of gopher tortoise burrows, which are only found in the tropical reaches of the longleaf savanna. In North Carolina, Carolina gopher frogs make use of holes in tree stumps, root tunnels, and burrows created by mammals and crayfish instead (NCWRC).

Most breeding sites are vernal pools located within their native habitat, the longleaf pine savanna. The tadpoles closely resemble those of the southern leopard frog and typically undergo metamorphosis in about 12 weeks.

Carolina gopher frogs face several threats, including habitat loss due to the clearing and development of longleaf pine ecosystems, fire suppression, droughts that dry up vernal pools, draining and conversion of wetland breeding habitats, diseases, and pollution. These dangers are intensified by their method of breathing through their skin, known as cutaneous respiration, which makes them more vulnerable to frequent droughts, heatwaves, and environmental toxins.

Conservation efforts by state partners aim to help the species recover, including what the NCWRC refers to as “head-starting efforts.” In collaboration with the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher and the North Carolina Zoo, the NCWRC has collected a small number of Carolina gopher frog eggs from the wild to hatch in captivity. Once matured in outdoor tanks, these frogs are released back into the same locations where their eggs were collected. Growing the juvenile frogs to a larger size gives them a “head-start” because they avoid early life stage mortality from predation and other causes which would occur if they were in the wild.

What You Can Do To Help

Learn:

• Carolina gopher frogs are among many species facing dangers from alterations in the longleaf pine ecosystem. Find out more about this species and its habitat at the links below:

Forest Dynamics – On Wildlife and Ecological Succession

Carolina Gopher Frog – NCWRC

Act:

Help protect Carolina gopher frogs by:

• Regularly servicing your vehicles to prevent toxic fluids from leaking into waterways or wetlands.
• Applying bug spray before entering wildlife habitats to avoid introducing chemicals into the animals’ environments.
• Refraining from touching frogs or toads, as their delicate skin can absorb substances from your hands, which may be harmful to them, and also secrete harmful substances on your skin, which can be toxic to humans.

• Opting for environmentally friendly pesticides and herbicides. (NC Aquariums)

Written by:

 

– Bates Whitaker, NCWF Communications & Marketing Manager

 

 

– Page Turner, NCWF Conservation Coordinator

 

 

Sources: 

• Beane et al. (2014). Natural history of the southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus) in North Carolina, USA.
  Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 9(1), 128–136. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274052432_Natural_History_of_the_Southern_Hognose_Snake_Heterodon_simus_in_North_Carolina_USA
• Florida Wildlife Federation. (2020, February 3). Southern hognose snake.
  https://fltws.org/species-spotlight/2020/2/3/southern-hognose-snake
• NatureServe. (n.d.). Datana ranaeceps: Overview. https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.113885/Datana_ranaeceps
• North Carolina Aquariums. (n.d.). Gopher frogs.
  https://www.ncaquariums.com/gopher-frogs
• North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. (n.d.). Moth species: MONA 7911.
  https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/moths/view.php?MONA_number=7911
• North Carolina Forest Service. (2011). Longleaf leaflets: Management of longleaf pine. https://www.ncforestservice.gov/publications/LongleafLeaflets/LL03.pdf
• North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. (n.d.). Carolina gopher frog.
  https://www.ncwildlife.org/species/carolina-gopher-frog
• Wildlife Society. (2023, October 12). Discover biodiversity in North Carolina Sandhills.
  https://wildlife.org/discover-biodiversity-in-north-carolina-sandhills/