To many people snakes are slithering reptiles that are always avoided. But Ryan Heavy Head isn’t most people.
“I’ve always been naturally attracted to them for some reason.” When he was just 8-years-old, Heavy Head spotted a boa constrictor in a pet store.“They were $50 dollars and my mom told me if I could raise $25 dollars she’d go halves with me. Not expecting an eight-year-old to be able to raise $25 dollars.”
But sure enough Heavy Head raised the money and bought the boa constrictor. A moment that started his lifelong relationship with serpents. Years later, Heavy Head is still involved with snakes and leads the Lethbridge Rattlesnake Conservation Program. It’s one of the only programs of its kind in Canada. Citizens around the city who spot a rattlesnake can call the rattlesnake hotline. From there they’ll be directed to Heavy Head who picks up the snake and relocates it to a safe area. “If there’s not some kind of a process somewhere that people can call, an avenue that they can have the snakes removed, then the snakes are in danger.”
Heavy Head also posts videos of him relocating the snakes on the organizations Facebook page. He hopes these efforts help erase the negative stigma that surrounds them. “I’m very interested in helping educate the lethbridge public about the rattle snakes and hopefully getting them more excited about co-existing with them, rather than in fear of them.”Heavy Head plans to take the Lethbridge Rattlesnake Conservation Program’s message to school’s around Lethbridge.
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