Rattlesnake halts construction on major B.C. highway
Crews working to rebuild B.C.'s Highway 8 encountered a relatively rare rattlesnake Monday.
According to a social media post from the Ministry of Transportation, the western rattlesnake was found near Spences Bridge.
"Work stopped immediately, the onsite environmental monitor alerted, and the snake was relocated to a safe zone," the post reads.
Identified as a species at risk by the federal government, it is "the only truly venomous snake species native to British Columbia."
The province says a "small population" of these snakes is found in the dry valleys of the province's southern Interior, where they come out of hibernation in April.
Agricultural and urban development encroaching on their natural habitat as well as "road mortality" are two factors threatening the species, according to the federal government. They also have a "low reproductive potential," giving birth to small litters of between two and eight young every three to four years. This, according to the province, means the long-term survival of adults is crucial for the
"Human persecution," according to both the province and the feds has been and continues to be the most significant threat.
"Their exaggerated reputation for danger has resulted in needless killing of rattlesnakes, drastically reducing some local populations," according to the B.C. Environment Ministry.
"Lack of knowledge and fear of rattlesnakes have resulted in persecution and killing of snakes," says the federal species at risk registry.
Wildsafe BC says fewer than five people are bitten by a rattlesnake each year in British Columbia and the conservation service receives approximately 40 calls annually about these reptiles.
"Bites are rarely fatal if treated promptly. Most snake bites are due to people deliberately trying to handle or harm rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes should ONLY be moved if they are a direct threat to you or your family," the website says, going on to describe the snake's behaviour and temperament.
"It is generally shy and non-aggressive. If cornered, however, rattlesnakes will rattle their tails vigorously while forming an aggressive coil with the head raised and the neck. Striking is a last resort, usually employed if cornered by a predator or occasionally when suddenly stepped on."
Rattlesnake sightings should be reported by calling 1-877-952-7277
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.
Humanist group threatening to sue Vancouver over council prayers
The B.C. Humanist Association has threatened legal action against the City of Vancouver for allowing prayers at council, following a similar warning issued earlier this month to a smaller community on Vancouver Island.
LHSC performs a Canadian first in robot-assisted direct lateral spine surgery
Spine surgery may never be the same for people with chronic back pain and other physical ailments.