CHRONICLE HERALD (Halifax, Nova Scotia) 20 May 06 Whopper of a snake - Manitoba student finds species double its size (Jason Bell)
Photo: University of Manitoba masters student Jonathan Wiens studies garter snakes near Manitoba Hydro’s Jenpeg Generating Station in Northern Manitoba this week. He holds a garter snake measuring 134 centimetres, the longest snake of its subspecies ever recorded in North America. (Wayne Glowacki / CP)
Jenpeg, Man (CP) : They call Jonathan Wiens the snake charmer.
The 23-year-old University of Manitoba student has been studying a population of red-sided garter snakes in a unique den at Kiskitto Lake near the Jenpeg hydroelectric generating station, about 525 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
Late last week, Wiens did his usual checks of more than a dozen traps he had set near the den when he discovered the grandmommy of all red-sided garter snakes coiled inside one of the wooden boxes.
The reptile measured 134 centimetres, the longest snake of its subspecies ever recorded in North America. Red-sided garter snakes, like the kind found at the famous pits of Narcisse in the Manitoba Interlake, are usually about half that size.
"Being the first person to do garter snake work in the area, it’s interesting and exciting to find such a significant animal," said Wiens.
"Of the 170 snakes I’ve trapped this year and last, this is by far the biggest. Chances are there may be bigger ones out there, but they haven’t been captured."
William Preston, retired curator of reptiles, amphibians and fish at the Manitoba Museum, confirmed the discovery. He said the female is likely about 12 years old, adding it was able to reach its length because its den hasn’t been disturbed by humans. It has also managed to slither clear of natural predators such as crows, hawks and raccoons.
"The area is remote enough that it was lucky enough to attain that size," Preston said.
The den where the enormous red, green and yellow snake was trapped doesn’t look like much from the surface, just one small hole on the side of a man-made dam that separates Kiskitto Lake and the fast-moving Nelson River.
Wiens said the rock fill used in the dam construction has created the perfect overwintering habitat for the snakes.
Manitoba Hydro is helping fund the research project and has welcomed the young biologist to bunk down and dine with the crew at the Jenpeg housing complex for about five months.
This spring, Wiens is capturing, marking and immediately releasing most of the snakes that wind their way into his traps. But about six are being implanted with radio-telemetry devices, so he can track their progress over the summer as they make their way to the countless marshes in the area.
Manitoba student finds species double its size