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AUGUSTA CHRONICLE (Georgia) 31 August 08 Rare appearance is made by snake (Rob Pavey)
The geologic "Fall Line" that separates the Coastal Plain from Georgia's Piedmont region roughly straddles Interstate 20 and the county line -- and the much feared reptile typically is found on the lower side of that highway.
Last week, however, there was evidence the big snakes are moving farther west and into higher elevations.
On Thursday, Columbia County's Animal Control Department was called by deputies who found a huge cottonmouth that had been run over by a car in Evans -- not far from the Mullins Pond off Washington Road.
It measured a whopping 41 feet.
"It's definitely a cottonmouth, and a large one at that," said Whit Gibbons, senior ecologist at Savannah River Ecology Lab, who has studied venomous snakes more than 50 years.
Its presence in Columbia County, he said, is unusual.
Many people think they see cottonmouths in the Piedmont areas and at Thurmond Lake, but the great majority are similar-looking water snakes.
Although the snakes might be moving to higher elevations by traveling up the Savannah River, there is no scientific reason they would expand their range to cooler, drier climates.
Maybe it's global warming? Time will tell.
Rare appearance is made by snake

and I thought everything was bigger in Texas! Forget the next Anaconda re-make - lets move on to 40 foot cottonmouths!

>>AUGUSTA CHRONICLE (Georgia) 31 August 08 Rare appearance is made by snake (Rob Pavey)
>>The geologic "Fall Line" that separates the Coastal Plain from Georgia's Piedmont region roughly straddles Interstate 20 and the county line -- and the much feared reptile typically is found on the lower side of that highway.
>>Last week, however, there was evidence the big snakes are moving farther west and into higher elevations.
>>On Thursday, Columbia County's Animal Control Department was called by deputies who found a huge cottonmouth that had been run over by a car in Evans -- not far from the Mullins Pond off Washington Road.
>>It measured a whopping 41 feet.
>>"It's definitely a cottonmouth, and a large one at that," said Whit Gibbons, senior ecologist at Savannah River Ecology Lab, who has studied venomous snakes more than 50 years.
>>Its presence in Columbia County, he said, is unusual.
>>Many people think they see cottonmouths in the Piedmont areas and at Thurmond Lake, but the great majority are similar-looking water snakes.
>> Although the snakes might be moving to higher elevations by traveling up the Savannah River, there is no scientific reason they would expand their range to cooler, drier climates.
>>Maybe it's global warming? Time will tell.
>>Rare appearance is made by snake
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

LOL...maybe the person who found the snake or the writer of the article had just finished watching the monsterquest show about giant snakes.

Read the original, it also includes a photo.

Somehow the 4 and 1/2 foot got truncated to 41 foot in the posting.

Just when I lost all phase in the media....thanks for clarifying.

>>Read the original, it also includes a photo.
>>
>>Somehow the 4 and 1/2 foot got truncated to 41 foot in the posting.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

I have no idea how that happened ... but ... umm ... 'me bad'.
Usually I just 'cut and paste' the item without checking for dropped letters ... but somehow, I caused inadvertent mirth.
My apologies to both the forum and the reporter ... who had it right.
Regrets, abashed
Wes

I think the newspaper actually corrected their own mistake - if you look at the comments section on their page, somebody pointed out that it said 41'.

Score for Bobby!

Well you only see them up to about 30-35 feet around here, but they pftem consume whole cows that stray too close to the water . . .

same here. my biggest giant cottonmouth was 32 feet. I feel cheated.

most people kill them when they reach 20-25 feet and harvest their skin to make tarps to repair wind damaged roofs. Damn hurricanes.
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I have been down to the Columbia County area of Georgia. It doesn't seem that odd to me that a cottonmouth would turn up there. As far as I can tell, this finding is within the natural range of the cottonmouth. They are known to penetrate areas of the piedmont that border their typical coastal plain habitat. I was near Appling, GA(very close to Evans) and found a large swamp that had dark water, lily pads, the whole 9 yards. It looked to be perfect cottonmouth habitat although all I found was a kingsnake. Cottonmouths are hardy snakes and can make it anywhere. It's just a question of whether they can physically travel to the new location.

Justin