In a world that continues to change at an unprecedented rate, we tend to worry more about the lives of our more popular animals. And while the protection of these animals is crucial in the coming years, we must also work to preserve the more overlooked species. For some reason, modern society has this perception of nature as some distant entity that lies past the dimensions of urban, ‘civilized’ life. By distancing oneself from nature, putting it out of sight and out of mind, one can never truly comprehend the significance and urgency of protecting the world around us. However, by understanding the role we play within the system, not separate from it, one realizes humanity’s reliance on nature. This is precisely why it is so important to bring attention to the more urban endangered species.

For many years, amazing work has been done to preserve more well-known endangered animals such as tigers and rhinos, as these animals fit many’s mental image of a threatened species: far off in a wild jungle or savannah. However, organisms are in need of assistance in just about every corner of the world, from the Amazon Rainforest to Downtown Manhattan. The Bay Area is no different. And the species here need as much help as they can get. 

With an already limited habitat on the San Franciscan peninsula, the San Francisco Garter was marked as endangered in the 1960s – before the Endangered Species Act was even passed. Since then, numerous projects and efforts have been made to increase their population numbers, but the most environmentalists have done is preserve their population at around an estimated 1,000-2,000. From invasive species threatening the fragile peninsula ecosystem, to habitat loss, to illegal collection, it’s a miracle that conservationists have even maintained their populations in the first place. 

When interviewed, many were shocked by the sight of this amazing creature, in disbelief that an animal so outlandish could live in the tall grass outside their window. A San Francisco Bay Area local, Robb Adkins, summed it up perfectly. 

“Is that real? There’s no way that lives around here!”

 Another local, Ben Brat, added, “That might be the coolest animal I’ve ever seen.”

 It’s true. The San Francisco Garter Snake’s appearance would easily make it amongst the most popular animals in the world, yet the lack of attention brought to urban species has left the Garter practically unknown, some even labeling the snake as photoshopped. The unfortunate truth is, that as the health of our planet worsens, the chances of a population spike in these Garters looks grim. Five years ago, it almost appeared that the battle between the San Francisco Garters and their opposing factors was in a stalemate. And with climate change decreasing the populations of species in similar situations, a stalemate could quickly lead to outright extinction.

But the San Francisco Garter Snake’s future was and still is not set in stone. Conservation projects within the city itself as well as further down the peninsula have had promising results. Yet despite the importance of these conservationists and the projects they command, the real people that can save animals like the Garter are everyday individuals, like you and me. By spreading the knowledge of this animal’s existence, and the efforts being done to help conserve their numbers, more resources can be allocated to help save the Garter from otherwise inevitable extinction.

So there is hope for these colorful creatures. And perhaps a combination of public attention and professional scientific strategy could be the solution necessary to revive the Garter’s numbers. As you read this, action is already being taken to shift the course of the Garter’s future. A recent effort to preserve San Francisco Garter snakes’ habitat had a major victory in the most unsuspecting of places: SFO. Conservationists transformed previously unused areas across the freeway from San Francisco’s airport into nothing short of Garter Snake heaven. With tall grass and a plethora of rodents, the new area appears as San Francisco did prior to the construction of the city, notably quite different from the concrete and metal that makes up the modern city.

And best of all, this project is already showing positive results. Scientists working on the Garter snake area recently had an extremely important breakthrough, as they noted a significant increase in SF Garters in this area within only the first few years of installation. But this victory is more than just one battle. By using even the most unique and urban of places, we have been able to increase the population of a species that had remained frozen for over 50 years. And yet there are so many other species in the Bay Area alone that are in grave need of help. And by applying tactics like those used for the San Francisco Garter snakes, we can begin to save other critically endangered species, ensuring a more biodiverse future for our planet’s posterity to enjoy.

For more information on the SFO San Francisco Garter Snake project, check out this video from CBS Mornings.