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| The Water Snake is one of Algonquin Highland’s largest snakes. It is most commonly found at around 60 cm in length, but has been know to grow up to one metre. Their colour is dark gray, brown or black with black spots on the sides and back. There is a crescent shape pattern on the snake’s underside as well. The Water Snake’s size and colouration looks similar to that of the Cottonmouth and the Water Moccasin, which are two very poisonous snakes. Although the two snakes are not found anywhere near the Algonquin Highlands region, it makes many people very fearful of the water snake and sometimes mistakenly kill this unfortunately look-alike. There is nothing to really fear of the Water Snake, as it is not a venomous snake. However caution is to be taken because, if it is angry or feeling threatened, it will bite. It is not over after one bite though, Water Snake will bite again and again and it will break the skin and cause bleeding. Signals that a Water Snake may be unhappy are the flattening of its body to look bigger and a foul smell it emits from glands near its tail. If the Water Snake is scared, it will usually swim away very quickly. The Water Snake is mostly an aquatic snake that can be found in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and marshes. On land it won’t stray too far from the water, but likes open areas to bask in the sun. This snake is active both day and night, but mostly in the day. It eats frogs, salamanders, crayfish, fish and sometimes mice. They are considered to be a positive creature to some environmentalists and sportsmen. Because they will eat a lot of dead or injured fish they play an important role in keeping fish from overpopulation. The Water Snake gives birth in late summer to twenty or forty young. Water snakes are born live as they hatch inside the female. They are about 15-30 cm when born. |
(Family Colubridae)
Natrix sipedon
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