 As the two subspecies share the same habitat in many regions of the United States, further complicated by their strikingly similar appearance, many authorities now do not recognize them.The subspecific name "haydeni" was in honor of American geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden.The plains garter snake is listed as Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) by the IUCN Red List due to the snake's ability to modify its habitat, its wide distribution and its presumed large population.