In Kansas, where are western hognose snake populations observed to be most abundant?
Answer
Across the High Plains
Local data from Kansas illustrates how habitat fidelity dictates population density even within a single state known for hosting the *H. n. nasicus* subspecies. While the snake is distributed across the western three-quarters of Kansas, the concentration is not uniform. The peak abundance, where conditions are most favorable, occurs across the High Plains. As one moves eastward into the Flint Hills, the populations become increasingly isolated and scarce, persisting only in small, remnant sandy patches that mimic the ideal environment found abundantly in the High Plains regions.
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