Tunnels under highway leave snakes fat, happy
Canadian Press
Sept. 16, 2005 02:33 PM
NARCISSE, Man. - Hissst. Have you heard the latest?
It's a great time to be a garter snake in Manitoba's Interlake region.
The harmless garden-variety snakes are fatter and healthier than they've been in a decade in Narcisse where their population has rebounded thanks to a dozen tunnels dug under Highway 17 by Manitoba Hydro in 2001.
Ed Wasserman, a tour guide at Narcisse's snake dens 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg, says too many snakes were getting squished as they slithered across the highway every spring on their way to sloughs and marshes.
"In the spring of 1997, we lost 25,000 snakes on a three-kilometre stretch of road. The highway was black," said Wasserman.
Some Manitoba Hydro employees approached their bosses with an idea to dig tunnels using old tubing so the snakes wouldn't become road kill. Hydro heads approved and staff volunteered their time to do the work with company equipment.
Some experts argued the snakes would still use the road, but that hasn't been the case, said Wasserman. The tunnels "have reduced the snake mortality rate by 90 per cent."
Wasserman said the utility deserves some recognition for its efforts.
"Manitoba Hydro stuck out its neck. They had nothing to gain by it."
Wasserman estimated the snake population is approaching 70,000 - the same level as a decade ago.
The snakes have also put on a few ounces this year after an explosion in the frog population due to heavy rains.
"We've got a lot of fat, happy snakes," Wasserman said.
The garter snakes leave their dens after spring mating for water sources in the area. They return to dens after birthing in mid- to late-August and hang around until about Thanksgiving before slipping down limestone cracks to hibernate
Canadian Press
Sept. 16, 2005 02:33 PM
NARCISSE, Man. - Hissst. Have you heard the latest?
It's a great time to be a garter snake in Manitoba's Interlake region.
The harmless garden-variety snakes are fatter and healthier than they've been in a decade in Narcisse where their population has rebounded thanks to a dozen tunnels dug under Highway 17 by Manitoba Hydro in 2001.
Ed Wasserman, a tour guide at Narcisse's snake dens 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg, says too many snakes were getting squished as they slithered across the highway every spring on their way to sloughs and marshes.
"In the spring of 1997, we lost 25,000 snakes on a three-kilometre stretch of road. The highway was black," said Wasserman.
Some Manitoba Hydro employees approached their bosses with an idea to dig tunnels using old tubing so the snakes wouldn't become road kill. Hydro heads approved and staff volunteered their time to do the work with company equipment.
Some experts argued the snakes would still use the road, but that hasn't been the case, said Wasserman. The tunnels "have reduced the snake mortality rate by 90 per cent."
Wasserman said the utility deserves some recognition for its efforts.
"Manitoba Hydro stuck out its neck. They had nothing to gain by it."
Wasserman estimated the snake population is approaching 70,000 - the same level as a decade ago.
The snakes have also put on a few ounces this year after an explosion in the frog population due to heavy rains.
"We've got a lot of fat, happy snakes," Wasserman said.
The garter snakes leave their dens after spring mating for water sources in the area. They return to dens after birthing in mid- to late-August and hang around until about Thanksgiving before slipping down limestone cracks to hibernate
