An Okanagan resident with a need for speed recently made an appearance in Osoyoos, B.C., and according to researchers, Enzo the rattlesnake is doing well.
Back in June of last year, Enzo caught a ride to Metro Vancouver from the South Okanagan in a Ferrari and was found by dealership staff. Enzo was brought back to Osoyoos but wildlife experts hadn’t seen him since the release, until recently.
“I actually caught Enzo about last week as he was coming out of his den, and I was quite surprised to see him,” said Nk’Mip Snake Research Project lead field biologist Lindsay Whitehead
“When I saw him, I was able to tell that he actually had shed since, which is a good sign — means that he got to eat quite a bit last season and carry on as normal snake things. He seemed to be in good condition, good body condition, and doing quite well for himself.”
The reptile is microchipped as part of a research project at Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre. When Enzo was returned, researchers say they weren’t sure if he would survive following the ‘traumatic ordeal.’
“Snakes really rely on scent trails, so they’re very familiar with the environment that they’re around. It’s not normal for them to be taken out of their habitat for quite so long,” said Whitehead.
“It was really cool for him to be able to see him again out here, surviving at the den — (he) managed to make it home in time for winter.”
The Nk’Mip Rattlesnake project has been ongoing for several years as a partnership between the Osoyoos Indian Band, Thompson Rivers University and Environment Canada.
“Here we monitor the rattlesnake populations to get population estimates. We also study movement patterns to kind of gauge what the snakes are doing and this allows us to better conservation efforts, create management plans, and keep up-to-date species records,” said Whitehead.
“It’s just an amazing opportunity with this conservation partnership between the Osoyoos Indian Band to be supported out of the cultural center here and it’s an enormous opportunity for research.”
Whitehead’s research is currently focused on how the Nk’Mip Creek Wildfire impacted the rattlesnake population.
The wildfire burned more than 19,000 hectares — approximately six kilometres — north of Osoyoos in 2021.
“It did damage quite a bit of the critical habitat here for the rattlesnakes,” added Whitehead.
“I’m hoping to be able to have an up-to-date population estimate by the end of the year which will give us some insight into how the snakes responded to the disturbance.”
Meanwhile, as the weather gets warmer, more snakes will be out and about as they start to come out of their dens.
With that in mind, researchers are reminding the public that the best thing to do when you see a snake is to just leave it alone.
“It’s important to note that snakes are not actually aggressive. They’re defensive creatures, so the only reason they would actually strike or go after someone is if they’re feeling threatened,” said Whitehead.
“Snakes will not hear you screaming. They actually don’t process soundwaves, so the best thing you can do when you see a snake and you want it to move off the trail is to stomp your feet because they’ll actually feel the vibrations in the ground.”
As for Enzo, although uninjured from his wild ride last year, his days of luxury cars are most likely over.