Rattlesnake found in Shelburne, VT returned to New York
SHELBURNE, Vt. —
The Timber Rattlesnake found along the Lake Champlain shoreline in Shelburne has been returned to New York.
It’s still unclear how the snake found its way to Shelburne; it may have swum across the lake or hitched a ride on a boat.
“I’m on the lookout for a bear, not a rattlesnake,” said Catherine Leiser from Burlington. “That’s surprising.”
The snake is native to Vermont, but it is more commonly spotted in Rutland County or in the Connecticut River Valley.
Hikers in Shelburne are used to seeing garden-variety snakes along the trails.
“I’ve come across other snakes, like garter snakes,” Leiser said. “I’ll think about it a little more.”
At the Shelburne Bay Park boat launch, the Lake Champlain Basin Project checks boats for invasive species, but a snake isn’t usually part of the checklist.
“I have never seen anything like that,” Owen said. “The main things I see hitch a ride are spiny water fleas and fishhook water fleas, which are tiny micro-invertebrates, but nothing like a snake.”
His co-worker Leo said it is giving them something to consider.
“That would be pretty insane if I found one coming out on a boat, but maybe I have to keep my eyes out now; who knows?” he said.
Meg Modley with the Lake Champlain Basin Program has seen some odd critters in the lake, like a starfish, but those come from home aquariums.
The rattlesnake has been spotted on the shores of Lake Champlain on the New York side, which is where the snake was taken back to.
“I don’t know if the snake got confused or wanted to come find food in a different area,” Modley said. “But really, acting in the best interests of the snake and making sure it gets home so that it can overwinter and be with us next year.”
Experts said if you see a rare snake, keep children and pets away from it and call Fish and Wildlife. If it’s safe, you should snap a couple of pictures.