▁s nake ▁to ▁direct ▁alter ation ▁like ▁construction ▁of ▁development , ▁and ▁indirect ▁like ▁p ets ▁and ▁public ▁recre ation . ▁ ▁The ▁California ▁Environment al ▁Qu ality ▁Act ▁and ▁California ▁End anger ed ▁Species ▁Act ▁afford ed ▁the ▁Al amed a ▁wh ips nake ▁some ▁conservation ▁benefits ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁federal ▁listing , ▁but ▁these ▁laws ▁by ▁themselves ▁were ▁far ▁from ▁ade qu ate ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁species . ▁The ▁listing ▁of ▁the ▁Al amed a ▁wh ips nake ▁as ▁a ▁feder ally ▁threatened ▁species ▁increases ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁public ▁land ▁ag encies ▁to ▁promote ▁conservation ▁and ▁management ▁plans ▁that ▁take ▁into ▁consideration ▁the ▁special ized ▁environmental ▁and ▁bi ological ▁needs ▁of ▁this ▁s nake . ▁ ▁Be havior ▁ ▁Diet ▁ ▁The ▁Al amed a ▁wh ips nake ▁is ▁a ▁di urn al ▁e ct oth erm ▁that ▁is ▁often ▁seen ▁for aging ▁in ▁the ▁day time . ▁As ▁it ▁searches ▁for ▁food , ▁the ▁head ▁and ▁the ▁front ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁body ▁are ▁held ▁off ▁of ▁the ▁ground ▁for ▁the ▁most ▁optimal ▁vision ▁to ▁find ▁pre y . ▁The ▁s nake ▁has ▁two ▁season al ▁pe aks ▁in ▁activity , ▁one ▁during ▁the ▁spring ▁m ating ▁season ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁during ▁late ▁summer ▁or ▁early ▁fall . ▁In ▁the ▁spring , ▁males ▁tend ▁to ▁for age ▁and ▁search ▁for ▁m ates ▁while ▁females ▁stay ▁in ▁hi bern ation . ▁Fem ale ▁peak ▁activity ▁only ▁tends ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁when ▁they ▁are ▁looking ▁for ▁egg ▁lay