CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You may see them slithering every time you log on to social media as it warms up outside -- Charlotte residents have been quick to notice snakes.
While it may seem like Queen City has snakes everywhere, animal experts say it may actually have more to do with the number of cameras rather than the number of snakes.
"They're just trying to survive in the wild like us. They have their place in the ecosystem," said Erin Fisher, an animal care provider at Discovery Place Nature. "It's right after the breeding season. A lot of the females are out looking for places to lay their clutches of eggs. So snakes are really active now.”
Fisher says bites from the Copperhead are ‘very rare’ in Mecklenburg County. The Copperhead is Charlotte’s most famous venomous snake.
Discovery Place Nature has these tips:
- Look before you reach under things outside
- Keep wood piles away from the home
- Leave snakes alone. You’re more likely to get hurt trying to kill a snake then letting the snake go on its own
- If bitten, call 911 and do not capture the snake that attacked
"I have not seen any snakes, other than on FaceBook." Freedom Park visitor Brenda Terry said with a laugh to WCNC. “My advice? Just walk away.”