Eastern Hog-nosed Snake at Petroglyph P.P. (Andrew Lipscombe - April 2012)

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake at Petroglyph P.P. (Andrew Lipscombe – April 2012)

We live in Cottesloe (Webster Road and 4th Line Dummer) and two days ago our neighbour called to say there was an unusual snake in her garden. She is not a snake person so I went over to find a brown snake. It was quite thick in the main body with a small tail. When I approached it its head flattened out to an arrowhead shape with dark marks on the cheeks. I carefully moved it back to our place and released it into some long grass.  After some research on the web and contacting a naturalist friend I have concluded that it was an Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (grey phase). I understand that they are rare.  (Note: Hog-nosed snakes are a Species at Risk in Ontario and listed as “threatened” – D.M.)

Observer: Alex McCubbin
Categories: Sightings

Drew Monkman

I am a retired teacher, naturalist and writer with a love for all aspects of the natural world, especially as they relate to seasonal change.