Ojibway Nature Centre warns drivers to watch for snakes on roads

Drivers are being asked to watch for snakes during their afternoon and evening commutes.

Herb Gray Parkway officials and staff at the Ojibway Nature Centre say snakes are on the move as winter closes in.

Karen Cedar, who speaks for the Ojibway Nature Centre, says the reptiles are looking for a place to hibernate but also looking for warmth as the nights cool down.

Asphalt and pavement stay warm into the evening after soaking up the sun all day.

"There are not many warm spots for snakes to get some heat. The poor snakes are trying to get a little bit of heat so they can continue on their travels and what happens a lot of the times is while they're laying there warming on the road a car comes along and crushes them," Cedar said.

Snakes also use the roads at night because they spend the day hiding from predators.

"Snakes are well aware that they are delicious and they try to avoid being eaten by other animals so they'll hide during the day, stay undercover," Cedar said. "If a snake was to move out to a roadside during the day, they would be easy [prey].

"They usually wait until the sunset. The road's still warm. They can still get some warmth from it but they're safe from hawks."

Officials want the public to especially watch for snake species at risk, such as the Butlers gartersnake and eastern foxsnake

According to parkway officials, snakes are more likely to be killed on roads in fall than in any other season.

If you see a snake contact the Ojibway Nature Centre. It keeps tabs on the species of snakes in the area.

"Road mortality is a serious threat to snakes because they are slow moving, hard to see on the road and are sometimes intentionally run over; if it is safe to do so, help snakes across the road in the direction they were headed," the Ministry of Natural Resources says on its website.

According to the charitable organization Ontario Nature, the province's network of major roads in southern Ontario grew from 7,133 kilometres in 1935 to 35,637 kilometres in 1995.

The organization also claims up to four per cent of drivers in Ontario have intentionally run over snakes and turtles on the road.

Ontario Nature is a charitable organization representing more than 30,000 members and supporters and 150 member groups from across Ontario.