By Isabella Lovett

My thirteen-year-old daughter, Chloe, has gone snake-crazy. So far, I’ve managed to side-step the allusions to vivarium shopping, and we’ve been indulging her latest passion by learning more about snakes in their natural habitat. To this end, we went on an impromptu Vancouver Island snake spotting expedition last weekend. We both had a wonderful time, and I would heartily recommend it to anyone who has a passion for nature. The possibility of spotting some snakes is a great way to get reluctant teens away from their screens and out in the fresh air for a few hours, too!

Vancouver Island is home to four species of snakes, but don’t worry, there’s no need to pack the anti-venom medicine before setting out. None of them are harmful to humans. There are three types of garter snakes, all of which are relatively common. Vancouver Island is also home to the endangered Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis).

Garter Snakes

There are dozens of species of garter snake, making them one of the best known types of snake in North America. What they all have in common is that although their bite is venomous, they pose no risk to people. Even if you were bitten by one, it would cause nothing worse than slight irritation around the puncture wound. 

Another common characteristic of garter snakes is their size. They typically grow to a maximum of about 30 inches in length, although some larger species of garter snake have grown as long as five feet in captivity.

So, what about the garter snakes of Vancouver Island? The three species we were looking for on our snake spotting adventure were the Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), the Northwestern Garter Snake (Thamnophis ordinoides) and the Wandering Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) subspecies of Western Terrestrial Garter Snake. All three have similar stripes that run the length of their bodies, and the most obvious difference between them is their colouring.

The most common snake on Vancouver Island is, appropriately enough, the Common Garter Snake. It’s also the most distinctive of the snakes you might meet, with its beautiful yellow stripes and orangey red bars along its sides.

Then there’s the Wandering (also known as the Western Terrestrial) Garter Snake. The black spots on a pale-yellow background give the illusion of zigzags, so this one is also quite easy to recognise.

That leaves the Northwestern Garter Snake. This species varies in colour, but is usually a pale brown, so is far less noticeable than its more gregarious cousins.

Sharp-tailed Snakes

This endangered species is found in only a handful of places – and Vancouver Island is one of them! If you are lucky enough to spot one, you will recognise it from its consistent colour (either pale yellow or reddish brown) and its sharply tapering body, which ends in a point.

Like all snakes native to Vancouver Island, they are completely harmless to humans. It is just a shame that the converse is not true – sharp tailed snakes are on the brink of extinction and it all comes down to natural habitat. The Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) set up a special stewardship program in 2005 to spread the word about these snakes and to protect the Garry Oak ecosystem they rely on to survive.

Where to look?

Now you know what to look for, the remaining question is where to search if you want to glimpse a snake on Vancouver Island. In general, they are more likely to be spotted near water, and you might come across one of the Garter snakes almost anywhere. Sharp tailed snakes are only in the south-eastern part of the island. If you are lucky enough to spot one, try to get a photo and send details of the sighting to the people at HAT. You can send it by email to hatmail@hat.bc.ca.

So how did we get on? Well, let’s just say that for us, the fun was in the searching. I thought I spotted a Northwestern garter snake, but I admit it might have been a stick. We had such a good time though, we’ll be heading out on another snake spotting adventure soon, and I’m certain we’ll have more luck. Maybe we’ll see you there!  

---

•