Last week we received a call from Todd McKinney who found this Eastern Garter Snake tangled in some plastic landscape netting that is often used for erosion control and helping to grow grass after construction projects. Many times it comes unknowingly embedded in rolls of sod that are purchased.While we don’t remove and relocate healthy wildlife from properties unless it is injured or can’t otherwise leave on its own (you would have to contact and pay for a licensed wildlife “pest” removal company), this snake was certainly in distress. Instead of killing it as many would do (which is illegal in Maryland), they asked us for help. It was tangled in three different spots on its body and could not escape. We gently held the snake to control its head from striking in defense and rotating its body and then carefully cut each strand of plastic. Once freed we inspected the snake for injuries and amazingly it appeared unharmed from the entanglement. We released it into some shrubs on the far end of the property where it can hopefully thrive in peace. You can see how even common harmless snakes like the Garter will flatten their heads into a triangle shape, not just venomous species.Landscape netting, pond netting for herons, and deer exclusion fencing with small holes, especially the light weight plastic type, can have unintentional impacts on wildlife. Please remove this material if you have it already installed and consider materials with larger openings that keep deer and groundhogs out but allow smaller species to pass safely. For landscaping / erosion control – natural biodegradable materials, products without netting or netting with larger openings 3″ or larger are recommended. Snakes are not only protected but are incredibly valuable to our ecosystem, and even our backyards, keeping other species such as rodents that can spread diseases in check. You don’t have to like snakes but we ask that you don’t kill them, and help protect them from being harmed.
