Officials Warn Fla. Residents About Venomous Snakes After 2 Reptiles Are Found in Hurricane Milton Debris

10/30/2024 04:47 PM

A coral snake and diamondback rattlesnake were found hiding among debris, officials say

As residents of Martin County, Florida, grapple with the damage Hurricane Milton left behind, officials have warned them to watch out for potential danger lurking in the debris.

More specifically, animal control officials at the Martin County Sheriff's Office are urging people to be on the lookout for snakes. This warning follows two sightings of two different venomous species around debris left by the storm.

"Last week, we had two venomous snake calls in one day," animal control officer Amanda Heffron said in footage shared by local CBS affiliate WPEC.

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"The first one was a coral snake, and it was in a greenhouse-type situation, so it was dark and warm, and it was large. It was one of the biggest ones I've ever seen," Heffron continued. "And later on in the day was a foot-and-a-half-long diamondback rattlesnake that was hanging out right under the slider on the patio of a home with children and pets inside."

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The rise in sightings of snakes like these two — which were captured and moved to a less populated area — is no coincidence, the animal control officer told WPEC.

"Everybody (is) trying to clear their properties of the vegetation and of the material damage from their homes, so warm, dark places are great for snakes specifically," she told the outlet, "because their prey goes there, and they follow them."

How can you avoid a snake encounter? Stay attentive and aware, Heffron advised. "When walking your dog, always be conscious of what your dog is sniffing," she told another local outlet, ABC affiliate WPBF.

And if a "larger snake" — like the diamondback rattlesnake relocated last week — is around, "it's going to have a rattle," she added, and "you're going to hear it."

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But just listening isn't enough — you have to look up, as well. "Don't be on your phone when you're walking your dog, so that way you can be aware," Heffron told WPEC. "We have all kinds of wildlife around us, especially coyotes and the bobcats; it's not just snakes."

"Everything is on the move, with the growth and development, everything is chasing their prey because their prey is being chased away from their homes," she concluded.

But, as Martin County residents navigate the hurricane destruction, they don't seem too concerned — at least, the two who spoke to WPBF aren't.

"They're here, but you gotta know the signs. I know when to run," one local, Philip W. Harvey, told the outlet, while another, Steven Newkirk, said, "The snakes are more scared of the human than anything, but no, I'm not worried. No concern."