Strathcona County is introducing new initiatives to safeguard plains garter snakes from vehicular traffic this autumn. This decision follows reports of over 1,000 snake fatalities between 2023 and 2025 on a seven-kilometre stretch of Range Road 210, from Township Road 530 to Wye Road heading south. Margo Pybus, the president of Friends of Cooking Lake-Blackfoot, raised concerns about this issue with the county.
During a drive in May 2023, Pybus observed 41 deceased snakes in a short section of the road, prompting her to take action. The region surrounding the road serves as a favored habitat for garter snakes, with the east side offering suitable grounds for hunting in summer and the west side providing ideal spots for winter dens. Consequently, the snakes regularly traverse the highway during spring and fall.
The warmth emitted by the asphalt also attracts the cold-blooded reptiles as the temperatures drop, creating a resting spot. Strathcona County is now collaborating with various organizations, including Friends of Cooking Lake-Blackfoot, Elk Island National Park, and the Beaver Hills Biosphere, to brainstorm ways to enhance snake safety along the highway.
Efforts have been made to raise awareness among drivers, including seasonal electronic message boards cautioning about snakes and targeted social media campaigns. Despite the decrease in snake fatalities following these interventions, the exact cause—whether improved driver caution or a decline in snake populations—remains uncertain. Looking ahead, the county plans to install fencing to guide snakes towards culverts, reducing the need to cross the road, and will lower speed limits at a known den intersection.
Additionally, promoting responsible behavior among the public is a key focus for Strathcona County. Encouraging drivers to remain vigilant on Range Road 210 is crucial, as garter snakes are easily recognizable if one knows what to look for.
Pybus emphasized the importance of recognizing moving objects on the road, noting, “If there’s something on the road that’s a metre in length and it’s moving—that’s not a branch and it’s not a rock.” The county aims to further enhance its snake protection measures and hopes for continued cooperation from the community to ensure the safety of these unique reptiles.