Brake for Snakes: Why Snakes Are Important

Eastern Milksnake. Photo by Kristen Martyn. 

 It's the most active time of year for animals in Ontario. So many species are nesting and breeding, and with this activity comes the necessity to cross roads. Roadways have been introduced to ecosystems by humans and are not something most animals know to be cautious of. 

Turtles cross roadways to find a location to lay their eggs, snakes use roadways for thermoregulation. Snakes are reptiles and ectothermic, meaning they depend on external sources for heat. To them, a roadway is a warm, rocklike substrate. 

Snakes, sadly, aren't as adored as turtles. People marvel at the opportunity to help a turtle on its way but when it comes to snakes, they don't give most people the warm and fuzzies. Snakes are a very common fear, otherwise known as Ophidiophobia. Though in some countries snakes are a source of danger, in Ontario, they are not. 

Ontario's ONLY venomous snake is the Massasauga rattlesnake, which are rarely found further than 50 kilometres from Great Lakes.  They will rattle as a form of warning to give them space, if you do so they will not escalate further. No snake would ever seek to harm a human or go out of their way to do so. Like most animals, they could react out of fear to being surprised or grabbed. Otherwise, all other snake species here pose no risk at all, they would prefer to slither as quickly as possible in the other direction. 

Massasauga Rattlesnake. Photo by Kristen Martyn. 

Snakes are an incredibly important part of our ecosystems, acting both as predator and prey. They consume and thereby control populations of smaller mammals, particularly rodents. For this reason they are actually GREAT to have around a property, as they keep rodent populations naturally under control. 

They are also a source of food for birds of prey, including various species of hawks, owls, falcons, crows, eagles, herons, and more. 

Over 75% of Ontario's snake species are considered at risk, with a main cause being vehicular death. Please pledge with us to always brake for snakes. 

Butler's Garter Snake (Thamnophis butleri). Photo by Kristen Martyn. 

By conserving snakes, we conserve our ecosystems at large and support many other species. 

Brake for snakes!  

Warmly, 

Heather