RALEIGH, N.C. — Editor's Note: The attached video originally aired in May of 2021.
It's getting warmer outdoors, and that means we could see more snakes on trails and in our own yards.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission released a statement Wednesday letting people know what to do if they encounter snakes.
Stay calm and steer clear of the snake, giving it plenty of room, N.C. wildlife officials said. If you want to encourage a snake to leave your property, you can gently spray it with a water hose.
“Snakes help control the rodent, slug and insect populations,” said Jeff Hall, reptile conservation biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Commission. “There are many ways we can coexist with snakes, which is important because of 38 of North Carolina’s native snake species, ten are listed endangered, threatened or of special concern.”
People are asked to report two types of snakes to the N.C. Wildlife Commission: Pine snakes and rattlesnakes. Pine snakes should be reported because they're a threatened species. They're commonly found in the Sandhills and southern Coastal Plain. They're non-venomous and don't pose a threat to humans.
Photo guide to the six venomous snakes of the Carolinas
If you see a pine snake, send an email to pinesnake@ncwildlife.org with a photo (required), date and time the snake was observed and location (GPS coordinates preferred).
North Carolina is home to six species of venomous snakes, including three types of rattlesnakes: Timber, pigmy and Eastern diamondbacks. If you encounter a rattlesnake, send an email to rattlesnake@ncwildlife.org with a photo and coordinates.
Other venomous snakes in North Carolina include copperheads, cottonmouth and Eastern coral snakes.
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