Tag: Snakes

‘Astonishingly’ huge kingsnake encountered by conservation crew

A Southern California conservation worker recently encountered what might be described as the king of kingsnakes.

Southern California conservation workers recently encountered what might be described as the king of kingsnakes.

The enormous kingsnake, spotted last month by members of the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, measured an estimated 7 feet. The average California kingsnake measures about half that size.

The MRCA explained via Facebook that Alberto Silva was inspecting a restoration site near Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills – the crew had been planting oak trees – when he saw the snake slithering toward a busy road.

“Fearing this long native snake may not be able to avoid vehicles, Alberto quickly rushed into action using a large branch to safely lift and gently move the snake back to a planted area,” the MRCA stated.

Dash Stolarz, an MRCA spokeswoman, told FTW Outdoors that the crew was “astonished” by the size of the kingsnake. She added that the crew also spotted a “more averaged-sized kingsnake” in the same area north of the Ventura Freeway.

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California kingsnakes rarely exceed 4 feet in length. Although larger specimens have been documented, a 7-foot kingsnake is considered extraordinary.

The snakes are endemic to the western U.S. and northern Mexico. They’re known for their striking appearance – a typical kingsnake is black with white or cream-colored rings, but color patterns vary.

Kingsnakes are nonvenomous constrictors that prey on rodents, frogs, lizards, and other snakes, including venomous rattlesnakes.

Liberty Canyon is the site of the future Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which will connect the Simi Hills to the Santa Monica Mountains via a 210-foot vegetated overpass that will span the Ventura Freeway.

The bridge, expected to be completed by the end of 2023, will become the largest urban wildlife crossing of its kind and benefit mountain lions and other critters. Apparently, that includes abnormally massive snakes.

In describing the recent kingsnake encounter, the MRCA began its Facebook post by jokingly stating, “We’re going to need a bigger wildlife crossing.”

–Image showing Alberto Silva with the kingsnake is courtesy of the Mountain Recreation Conservation Authority

Can you spot and ID the ‘slithering critter’ in Georgia forest?

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources on Monday asked social media followers if they could identify a ‘slithery critter’ photographed recently in a pine forest.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources on Monday asked social media followers if they could identify a ‘slithering critter’ photographed recently in a pine forest.

For some, it took a while to spot the snake as it blended with pine needles and cones.

“Finally found it,” reads one of more than 135 comments beneath the Facebook post. “I’m rethinking all my playing out in the yard plans.”

The DNR does not identify the snake in a description that provides hints:

“I spy with my wildlife eye a ssslithering critter!

“You can quickly identify this venomous critter by the series of large, black, chevron-like crossbands down its body and the reddish-brown stripe that runs down the center of its back.

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“This critter may actively pursue prey by following scent trails, but more commonly acts as a sit-and-wait predator, ambushing prey at the base of trees or next to fallen logs.”

The snake is fairly easy to spot after a scan of the image, captured by Berkeley Boone.

“While you’re unlikely to find this critter in an urbanized environment, you may encounter it in lowland cane thickets, high areas around swamps and river floodplains, hardwood and pine forests, mountainous areas, and rural habitats in farming areas,” the DNR continued.

“Most individuals are docile when encountered in the wild and will remain coiled or stretched out without moving. They may also rattle their tails as a warning, producing a loud buzzing sound. If provoked, however, they will not hesitate to deliver a serious bite.”

Obviously a rattlesnake, but what type of rattlesnake?

Viewers are asked to click on this link for the answer and to learn more about the species.

Deadly snake proves nearly impossible to spot…but it’s there

An expert snake catcher puzzled his audience on Facebook by posting an image of a snake and asked if anyone could spot it among the foliage. Nobody could.

An expert snake catcher puzzled his audience on Facebook by posting an image of a venomous snake and asked if anyone could spot it among an assortment of foliage, much of it small trees, limbs, sticks and twigs that look as if they could be a snake.

Stuart McKenzie of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers in Australia added a second challenge to the mix by giving “bonus points” if you could name the species.

Can you spot the deadly snake? Most could not. Check out the bigger photo on Facebook.

Here are just a few of the more than 900 responses, some that came with screenshots with the snake circled (erroneously, we might add):

“Nope! Can’t see it…no bushwalking for me.”

“Straight up the back tree.” [Wrong]

“Just below the fork on the long branch on the ground, I think.” [Wrong]

“I tried to circle it, but all you can see really is the tail, it seems.” [Wrong]

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“Did anyone actually find a snake or is this all just a joke??”

“Snake or stick, mate?”

“I can’t see no snake, but they are notoriously sneaky critters so there could be one anywhere!!!”

“I can’t see it.”

“I’m so confused I’m seeing snakes everywhere now.”

“Yep, I see sticks, leaves, trees and by this stage I’d be dead because I still wouldn’t have seen it or felt it. I’ve been looking at everyone’s answer and bugger me, nothing.”

Though it didn’t seem as if anyone spotted it, there were these guesses as to the species:

Ghonas snake.

Tiger snake.

Mulger snake.

Green snake.

Brown snake.

Python.

Copperhead.

Viper.

Well, actually, it’s a yellow-faced whip snake and, no, it’s not a joke. The snake is actually in the photo. Here’s one look:

McKenzie helped with an even closer look:

The yellow-faced whip snake belongs to a species of venomous snakes in the Elapidae family, one containing many dangerous snakes. They grow to 31-47 inches and are said to be active during the day, fast-moving and common throughout Australia.

They are also hard to spot.

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Sean Payton advises Drew Brees to widen his social distance with rattlesnakes

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton has had spare time on his hands while recovering from the coronavirus, so he checked in with Drew Brees

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Everyone has responded to the coronavirus pandemic a little differently. For New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, who tested positive for the infection and was recently cleared, it meant a two-week stay at home before he was cleared on March 24. For Saints quarterback Drew Brees, his family’s response has included substantial financial donations and frequent nature walks with their dogs.

On Sunday, one of those neighborhood walks included a guest to be wary of — a young rattlesnake. Brees shared a photo of the venomous reptile on social media, which Payton noticed and offered a bit of advice: “Let’s find a different route. Ok?” While the government recommends that people maintain at least six feet between themselves and others with coronavirus infections on the rise, Payton is probably wise to suggest a wider gap between yourself and a rattlesnake.

It’s good to know that it takes almost a month in isolation for an NFL head coach to visit his Twitter account and see what his franchise quarterback is getting up to. Of course, Payton didn’t just log on to check on his players; he also broke down the X’s and O’s of his favorite football plays, digging into some of his playbook’s terminology. For example, Payton explained that the Saints use sandwich shop chains to designate tight splits like J.J. (for Jimmy John’s) and Quizno’s. While Payton and his staff hope to return to normalcy soon (as everyone does), it’s great to see that he’s keeping himself busy during a difficult time.

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