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Biologist Corrects Snake Report

Tuesday, 4 September 2012 at 04:20

A correction to an earlier story. Experts and snake enthusiasts have been pointing out that a reported Rattlesnake sighting outside of Woodstock this summer, is not a rattlesnake. It's actually an Eastern Milksnake, according to University of Guelph Biologist Ryan Bolton. It was located at "The Pines" cycling trails back on August 24th. (In photo on right) Bolton tells Heart FM this snake is actually quite common, in pockets, in southwestern Ontario. "They are not common, but where they do occur, they are common. So we call them 'locally abundant', little disjunct pockets, small populations throughout Southwestern Ontario." Bolton says the confusion about the snake is likely because the milksnake will shake its tail when it feels threatened, and that makes a noise as it rustles leaves, or whatever is nearby. He says the milksnake is not venomous or dangerous, but should be left alone, unless it is somewhere where it is in danger. "It's a classic example of it's more afraid of you than you are of it. If you leave it alone, it will go on its way. If you're a little more concerned about animal welfare and it's in the middle of a biking path, feel free to move it off the path or usher it across. These snakes are completely harmless." Bolton says these milksnakes are listed as a species of "special concern" under the Species at Risk Act. That is below "threatened" and "endangered" on the scale of concern.

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