Rattlesnakes begin to emerge from winter dens in Lethbridge
![Lethbridge rattlesnack season If you encounter a rattlesnake in Lethbridge, you're asked to contact the city's Rattlesnake Mitigation Program to have it relocated to a safer place.](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/4/26/lethbridge-rattlesnack-season-1-6372839-1682547901009.jpg)
Rattlesnakes have begun emerging from their winter dens in Lethbridge’s coulees.
"They’ve actually been out for probably a week or so," said Ryan Heavy Head, a local rattlesnake wrangler and ecologist consultant, who saw his first rattlesnakes on Tuesday.
"I expect them to hang close to their dens for another week or two, but then they're going to be migrating, and that's when I get my first big wave of encounters," Heavy Head said.
He says the snakes are out soaking up the sunshine after a long winter in brumation.
With the snakes now visible to Lethbridge residents, Heavy Head is reminding those using coulee pathways to be diligent.
"It’s not smart to run your dogs off leash here, or treat it as a manicured recreation area. It is really a wilderness area and you will encounter snakes on the coulee rims right up to the houses," Heavy Head said.
"Stay on the paths and don’t wander down into the coulees."
Heavy Head also works with the City of Lethbridge as a consultant for the rattlesnake mitigation program.
"Over the last, maybe 15 years or so, the calls increased as the program became more recognized in the city, and then it got to 150-170 calls and it's stayed around that size," he said.
"I expect that to be the same this year."
If you encounter a rattlesnake in Lethbridge, you're asked to contact the city's Rattlesnake Mitigation Program to have it relocated to a safer place. But, with continued development of west-side neighbourhoods and the University of Lethbridge Science Commons, Heavy Head says he has seen an uptick in the number of the calls he received last year coming from the south side.
"I’ve been getting a lot of calls from the Lethbridge Country Club, Scenic Heights, Chinook Heights and those kinds of areas … So there has been a little bit of snake movement around, trying to find new hunting opportunities," Heavy Head explained.
Four different types of snakes can be found in Lethbridge: the prairie rattlesnake, bull snake, plains garter snake and wandering garter snake. Out of the four, only the prairie rattlesnake is venomous.
Heavy Head says when he removes a snake from populated area, most times he'll release it a short distance away, keeping the snake close to its habitat.
If you encounter a rattlesnake this season, you can contact the City of Lethbridge’s Rattlesnake Mitigation Program https://www.lethbridge.ca/bylaws-animal-services/rattlesnake-mitigation/ to have it relocated to a safer place.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE @ 11:15 A.M. MT Extent of Jasper wildfire damage still unknown; Alberta Wildfire hosting update
Officials are waiting to learn Thursday morning the extent of wildfire damage in the Jasper townsite of Jasper National Park, which flames began to eat away at the night before.
WATCH LIVE Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Jennifer Aniston criticizes JD Vance for 'childless cat ladies' remarks: 'I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children'
Jennifer Aniston is criticizing JD Vance for comments he made in his past about women without children.
Canadian women's soccer team staffer given suspended prison sentence over drone incident, prosecutor says
A Canada women's soccer team staffer has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after flying a drone to film the closed-door training session of the New Zealand team on Monday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
WATCH LIVE 'Sick to my stomach': People grieve Jasper National Park by sharing favourite photos
As an out-of-control wildfire roared through Alberta’s famed Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday, many are fearing the worst as officials warned of 'significant loss' within the area.
Prince William made $42 million from his newly inherited estate last year, reports show
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Sale of envoy's NYC condo 'expected to exceed' $9M: government
The current official residence for Canada's representative in New York City is 'being readied for sale,' according to a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada.
'I'm so broke': Two Toronto women speak out after losing $76,000 in romance scam
Two women from the Toronto area are speaking out after losing thousands of dollars to a romance scam, including a single mother who lost $62,000.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.