Editor:
Re: Grove snakes get check-up, April 13
The article did a great job of raising awareness of the snake hibernation site in Tsawwassen which local residents have grown to appreciate. However, I was misquoted a few times in the article which I'd like to clarify.
I did not state that people "should steer clear of the area until the end of the month." In fact, it's great that people are going out there and seeing them. It indicates the den is still being used post-construction and people appreciate them enough to notice without killing or otherwise harassing them.
People should stay off the rock dike until the end of the month though, as this is the main hibernation area from which the snakes are emerging and basking on, around, or under the rocks. We've discovered four snakes that were crushed to death by people stepping on the rocks or logs they were hiding under so please avoid walking on the rock dike and among the logs between the rocks and garbage cans to the north.
Not all the snakes were micro-chipped, only those that were big enough to receive the rice-grain-sized Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags.
My request to "leave the snakes alone" was taken out of context. That comment is tied to the request that people should not be looking for the snakes by flipping over rocks and logs or trying to catch them.
People can watch for snakes that are basking on the rocks and admire them from a distance to avoid disrupting mating balls where several males intertwine or follow a female, and being careful not to step on or run them over on their bicycles if they cross the top of the dike.
Brent Matsuda
Wildlife Biologist/Herpetologist
