Living With — Or Near — Snakes

With spring in full swing, if you're outdoors in Georgia, you may see a snake. One or more.

For some people, that's exciting. For others, it's unnerving.

No matter the group, here's helpful advice from DNR state herpetologist Daniel Sollenberger for those encounters.

Don't try to handle it. Give snakes the space they need.

• Want to identify a snake? Do it from a distance. (Learn more at georgiawildlife.com/georgiasnakes.)
• Respect the reptile. All snakes fill important roles in nature, from eating rats, snails and slugs to serving as prey for species varying from hawks to other snakes.
• Only seven of Georgia's 47 native snake species are venomous. All nonvenomous snakes are protected by law. Venomous snakes are protected on most public lands.
• For a venomous snake in an area where it represents a danger to people or pets, contact a licensed wildlife specialist. Many bites occur when a snake is cornered or captured and defending itself.

Remember, if you see a snake a) odds are it's not venomous and is protected by law, and b) there's no doubt it wants nothing to do with you. Let it be.

"Adult snakes you see have been living alongside you in your area for years and just got unlucky and were spotted that day," Sollenberger said. "Any snake you have the opportunity to see, you also have the opportunity to walk away from."

Top photo: Cottonmouth? Nope, it's brown watersnake, a nonvenomous species. (DNR)