There is an often maligned and misunderstood class of animal that calls Saskatchewan home, which plays a crucial role in the ecosystem that our conservation efforts tend to overlook.
There are nine species of snake in Saskatchewan, found primarily within the southern portion of the province, and like many species native to the grasslands of the region, four of those nine are now listed as at risk of extinction.
Plains Hog-nosed, Bullsnakes, Rattlesnakes (the only venomous species in the province), and the Yellow-bellied Racer are listed as the most vulnerable among the species, and the factors that threaten their existence are all too commonly discussed when the topic of prairie species conservation is at hand.
“One of the main things that they’re facing is, of course, habitat loss, which is the main driver for most of our species decline in the province because they are Prairie specialists,” explained Emily Putz, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator with Nature Saskatchewan.
She noted that the threat of being struck by vehicles on roadways is a major risk to the well-being of Saskatchewan’s snake population.
“Road surfaces get very warm, especially in the summertime, they cannot create their own body heat, so they go (on the roads) to bask. They basically think it’s a nice flat rock that has a lot of surface area for absorbing the sun’s heat,” Putz said.
“While they’re basking, they are not very quick movers. They don’t know if cars are coming, and they won’t dart out of the way like some other animals will. They’ll just stay there, and they often stretch out, making them very susceptible to being run over.”
Beyond the need for places to absorb heat, Putz explained that the presence of insects on the roadways tends to attract smaller snakes, for whom insects make up a large portion of their diet.
“If you see a snake on the road, don’t expect it to get out of your way, if it’s safe to do so, go around it.”
Due to the generally timid and non-aggressive nature of Saskatchewan’s snakes, those found in the open will often flee from the presence of humans.
Despite the misconceptions regarding snakes, they fill an important niche within the grasslands ecosystem. The smaller species, including the red-bellied, smooth green, and three garter snake species, provide excellent pest control: feeding mainly on insects and worms, amphibians, and rodents.
“They’re great to have in your pasture, and in your fields as well,” Putz explained.
The larger snake species also prey heavily on species that are widely considered pests, with Putz recommending taking measures to encourage their presence.
“Our larger species, like Bull snakes, are gopher specialists. They eat a lot of gophers, pocket gophers as well as ground squirrels, they’re good to have around in general.”
The snake species in Saskatchewan are generally limited to the southwestern portion of the province, ranging from as far north as the South Saskatchewan River valleys and the Sand Hills region, down into Big Muddy in the southeast.
“They don’t get very far north in the province. We’re at the very northern tip of most of their ranges in North America,” she explained.
“We’re kind of a special place for a lot of these guys because these are the only snakes in the world that can tolerate the colder temperatures. They do it by going below the frost line, finding nooks and crannies and they’ll even hibernate together across species.”
Putz explained that education is one of the best ways to help conserve these misunderstood, yet important members of the prairie ecosystem.
“A big thing is to teach the next generations that snakes are our friends and that they are nothing to be afraid of. A lot of people think they’re slimy and aggressive, but they’re smooth, and their scales are made of the same stuff as fingernails. They’re smooth and dry and they don’t want anything to do with you... they’re not scary animals, and they play big roles in their habitats,” She explained.
“They should be valued and not feared, even if you’re scared of them yourself.”
She hopes that reducing the fear and misconceptions regarding snakes will bring about a generation of snake lovers who will help drive conservation efforts.
“We’ll know how to report them, the more information we can gain about what they’re doing and their ranges, their populations, all of that really helps these species out.”
To help foster that curiosity and educate others about Saskatchewan’s native snake species Putz encourages those to contact Nature Saskatchewan to find out more, especially to report or help identify snakes you may come across.
“If you ever have an ID question about which critter you are looking at, we can help you out. You can always email your questions to outreach@naturesask.ca if you see a snake and you think it’s one of the four at-risk species.”
Information and participation from the public is a powerful tool in Nature Saskatchewan’s conservation arsenal, and with that assistance, an accurate count of the snake population and mapping of their current range can be achieved.
To report snake sightings, get involved in conservation efforts, or simply learn more call 1-800-667-HOOT (4668)