Wye Marsh Projects
Eastern Hognose Sightings at the Marsh
On August 20, 2004, a single adult Eastern Hognose Snake was sighted
on the roadway leading into the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre. While the upland
forest and open 
fields
surrounding the Wye Marsh provide ideal habitat for this species, the
last Hognose Snake sighting that occurred in the Wye Valley was in 1976;
which makes this sighting even more interesting!
The Hognose has two quite distinguishing behaviours that are displayed while encountering potential predators. When at first threatened, this non-venomous snake may raise its head several inches to a foot or so in the air, which would bring it to eye level with most of its predators (e.g. foxes or raccoons). The Hognose would then use its ability to inflate its body, spreading the skin on its neck to give a cobra-like appearance. This may be accompanied with mouth gaping and lunging forward to threaten a bite (although they rarely make contact and are not known to bite). If further threatened, this snake has a tendency to play dead, a display that consists of waving the head, neck and upper body, mouth gaping, tongue drooping from outside of the mouth, and collapsing into a loose, limp coil on the ground.
While we are pleased to announce the presence of this exceptional snake at the Wye Marsh, there is also the need to educate the public of its status. Due to an increasing number of pressing threats to this species, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has designated the status of the Hognose Snake as Vulnerable, while federally this species is recognized as one of Special Concern.
One way that visitors to the Wye Marsh can help this rare species is to simply lower vehicle speed when driving into the Centre. This will allow drivers more reaction time to “Brake for Snakes” and to decrease roadway mortality of snake species.
The Hognose Snake is also of interest to the Greater Georgian Bay Reptile Awareness Program based in Parry Sound; sightings of this and other Reptiles At Risk can be entered through their website.
