Somehow it is already almost spring, at least as far as the reptiles are concerned. We are fast approaching snake breeding season, and that means a few things.
First of all, breeding season is a bit different for each species. Generally, most snakes around here seem to be actively looking for mates from mid March through early May. Since the weather isn’t usually too warm yet during those months, snakes will be out during the day.
Some people may not love hearing that news, but something to remember is that, of our near 20 species of snakes, only rattlesnakes and extremely rare sea snakes are dangerously venomous. ALL OTHER SNAKES HERE ARE HARMLESS. Even the venomous snakes want nothing to do with people.
My favorite snakes to see in the spring are the Cape Gopher Snakes. These big, beautiful, harmless snakes are usually quite friendly, and offer very good rodent control. They are slow moving, however, and therefore very vulnerable to cars.
Last spring, I saw a heartbreaking amount of dead gopher snakes on the roads, and I want to help prevent that from happening again. It is a difficult problem to solve, but I want to do my best to help these beautiful endemic snakes continue to call La Ventana home.
There are a few local roads in particular over which gopher snakes and other reptiles often cross:
- The roads around Pitaya;
- The roads near the Bufador;
- The container house road in El Sargento; and
- The access road to La Tuna.
I am planning to make “Snake Crossing” signs to put on these roads just for the months of March and April. If you would like to help, or know of a road with a lot of snake activity, please email me at chancestevens123@icloud.com.
Correction from last week: I mistakenly called Western Banded Geckos by the wrong name, Banded House Geckos. I am not sure how I missed that but I just wanted to correct my mistake.