Tag: snake

A ghost in the attic

Today’s blog comes to us from Sam Alison, former Ontario Parks Gray Ratsnake researcher at Murphys Point Provincial Park. 

I must admit, as a seven year old, I was a little nervous about spending the night at my great grandmother’s cottage. At the family reunion, I had heard all about the seemingly mythical creature that lived in the attic…

…a creature so good at hiding, you’d never know where it was at any point in time.

…a creature so long, it could reach right around the door frame if it wanted to.

…a creature so mesmerizing, that everyone had a story to tell.

What was this creature? Where was it? I was hooked.

I spent our family vacation looking for this legend. Little did I know, this adventure would inspire my future career.

A university degree and many years later, I’m still searching for Canada’s longest snake species – the Gray Ratsnake.

Continue reading A ghost in the attic

Why are snakes so misunderstood?

We often hear our visitors say how much they fear or hate snakes.

Ophidiophobia, the name for an intense fear of snakes, is certainly a legitimate condition, and we do not judge anyone who struggles with it.

Many of our own staff are working through this fear. No one chooses to have a phobia. The outdoors should be a place for relaxation and rejuvenation, not the constant fear of a chance encounter with a native species.

Continue reading Why are snakes so misunderstood?

What types of wildlife might I see at Ontario Parks?

If you’re new to Ontario Parks, you might be a little nervous about the animals that call our parks home.

Many of us live in cities or suburbs, with little interaction with wildlife, so we don’t know how to react or behave. We want your parks experience to be fun and safe, both for you and for the wildlife that live here.

Today, let’s talk about:

  • the types of critters you might encounter at Ontario Parks
  • some simple tips to prevent negative wildlife interactions

Continue reading What types of wildlife might I see at Ontario Parks?

Ontario’s smallest snakes

Today’s post comes from Shane Smits, senior park interpreter at Rondeau Provincial Park.

Are you terrified of snakes?

Do you believe they’re all large and frightening?

Well, everyone has a right to their own fears, but what if snakes aren’t all what the movies make them out to be?

It’s a common misconception that snakes are big and scary creatures. In reality, there are many species that are actually quite small and rather harmless.

Let’s discuss a few of Ontario’s smallest snake species, so we can hopefully change some opinions on snakes:

Continue reading Ontario’s smallest snakes

Pinery’s Loch Ness Monster

Today’s post comes from Megan Loucks, Discovery Lead at Pinery Provincial Park. 

If you explore Pinery’s Old Ausable Channel, you might see a variety of fish swimming, water lilies floating in the sun, or even a beaver ducking into its lodge.

However, we have recently received reports of a large reptilian creature swimming just below the surface.

Continue reading Pinery’s Loch Ness Monster