Beach Grove Elementary students helped release the last of the rescued garter snakes yesterday morning on the Boundary Bay dike.
The 10 snakes that required extra medical attention were part of a larger group of 500 that had been unearthed last month as construction crews with SNC-Lavalin were slated to begin repair work on a section of the dike.
A group of students noticed the slithery creatures and helped alert the crew by posting signs around the area where the work was taking place.
In a rescue operation lasting several days, the snakes were recovered by the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C., Corporation of Delta staff and SNC-Lavalin, and then transported to temporary home at the rescue association's Burnaby facility.
The biologists involved with the rescue project noted it was the largest discovery of a snake hibernation site (hibernaculum) of its kind on the B.C. coast.
Each snake was examined and placed in a large plastic container with a thick layer of damp wood shavings and a dish of distilled water where they could continue hibernating.
A couple of weeks ago most of the snakes, which included terrestrial garter snakes, common garter snakes and western garter snakes, were released back to the dike. Students helped with that release which was part of a coordinated plan devised by a working group consisting of Dr. Patrick Gregory, herpetology and ecology professor with the University of Victoria, Lorraine Andrusiak, registered professional biologist with SNC-Lavalin Inc, as well as specialists from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Forest Lands and Natural Resource Operations, and the Corporation of Delta.
The reptiles were tagged prior to their release so that a team of biologists can follow their progress over throughout the rest of the year.
The last few snakes released Tuesday had to stay at the wildlife rescue facility a little longer for additional care. They wasted no time slithering from the top of the warm, sun-soaked rocks to the many cracks and crevices for shelter.
The operation was deemed a tremendous success with about 95 per cent surviving their ordeal and successfully returning to their home.
None of the students yesterday appeared the least bit squeamish or had any fear of the creatures they helped save.
