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Letters: Wildlife harassment: now it’s the garter snakes

Now we have a new situation – harassment of garter snakes
Garter snake
There has been a lot of publicity recently about photographers harassing wildlife by getting too close. Now we have a new situation – harassment of garter snakes.

Editor:

There has been a lot of publicity recently about photographers harassing wildlife by getting too close. Now we have a new situation – harassment of garter snakes.

There is a large colony of garter snakes (a hibernaculum) in Boundary Bay Regional Park. Now that it’s getting milder and we’ve had some sunny weather, the snakes are coming out to warm themselves.

A friend and I were dismayed one day to see a group of children picking up the snakes and some of them were piling snakes in a bucket. It seems this is a regular occurrence on nice days. These snakes are not toys to be played with. They are wild creatures who deserve to be left in peace.

Parents should be aware that although garter snakes are not venomous, they may bite if stressed and the bite may transmit bacteria causing the area around the puncture to become swollen and irritated.

On rare occasions a serious allergic reaction may occur. People should also know that all snakes in British Columbia are protected by the BC Wildlife Act and it is an offence under the Act to attempt to capture or possess wildlife without a licence or permit, as is harassment of wildlife.

Children being interested in nature is a really positive thing, but they should be made aware that looking is good, touching is not. These slithery little critters should be shown the same respect as all other wildlife.   

Elizabeth Perrin