Wildlife officers issued a warning in Somerset County, New Jersey, to be on guard for northern copperhead snakes after one of many species was seen final week in Watchung, a Backyard State borough that is lower than an hour from New York Metropolis.
The northern copperhead snake is described as having two shades of copper or a reddish-brown coloration.
It “inhabits rocky fields, berry thickets, woodlands and farmlands and should even be found amongst previous mulch piles,” stated the N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife in a “Snakes of New Jersey” publication.
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This species is one in every of two venomous snakes present in New Jersey, in keeping with the identical supply.
“There have all the time been copperheads within the northern half of New Jersey and most of the people who dwell in copperhead areas coexist with them with out battle, typically with out even realizing they’re there,” stated Tyler Christensen, a PhD candidate finding out copperheads at Rutgers College’s Division of Ecology, Evolution and Pure Sources in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
“There have all the time been copperheads within the northern half of New Jersey and most of the people who dwell in copperhead areas coexist with them with out battle, typically with out even realizing they’re there.” (iStock)
“The most effective factor a resident can do is learn to inform copperheads aside from extra frequent nonvenomous snake species — reminiscent of water snakes, milk snakes and garter snakes — and perceive learn how to reply in the event that they see a copperhead.”
Though the warning was issued for New Jersey, the snakes are prevalent in different components of the nation.
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Here is a deeper dive.
What else ought to folks learn about copperheads?
Copperheads are a lot much less harmful than their status suggests, Christensen informed Fox Information Digital.
“They’re surprisingly calm and docile, counting on their camouflage reasonably than their venom to defend themselves from predators and people,” he famous.
These snakes rely totally on their camouflage to remain secure from predators and people. “A chew is often delivered as a last-resort defensive effort, and their venom is gentle relative to most vipers.” (iStock)
“A chew is often delivered as a last-resort defensive effort, and their venom is gentle relative to most vipers.”
How do these snakes conceal within the open air?
These snakes typically mix into their environment.
“Copperheads are extraordinarily cryptic (i.e. camouflaged) to allow them to be very troublesome to identify in opposition to a background of leaves, brush and twigs,” Scott L. Parker, PhD, professor and chair of the Division of Biology at Coastal Carolina College in Conway, South Carolina, informed Fox Information Digital.
“Don’t put your palms and toes wherever the place you possibly can’t see them.”
Parker warned folks to keep away from touching or approaching copperhead snakes if these animals are seen or encountered.
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“Copperheads don’t need something to do with people,” he stated. They won’t assault, and if left alone they are going to shortly attempt to escape.”
“Tens of millions of individuals within the jap U.S., particularly within the Southeast, dwell in shut proximity to copperheads and don’t even notice” that these snakes are close by. (iStock)
“To keep away from by accident getting bit, don’t put your palms and toes wherever the place you possibly can’t see them, and all the time put on footwear and use a flashlight when strolling outdoors at nightfall or after darkish in the summertime.”
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Parker additionally stated, “Tens of millions of individuals within the jap U.S., particularly within the Southeast, dwell in shut proximity to copperheads and don’t even notice that they’re shut by.”
What’s the easiest way to remain secure?
To forestall doable encounters with copperheads, the College of Virginia offers these tips about its web site:
- Put on boots when climbing and keep away from open-toed footwear
- Use a flashlight at night time when strolling after sundown
- Know that banks of streams, rivers and lakes are frequent locations the place snakes will be discovered.
- By no means contact or choose up a snake
“Most bites happen when folks attempt to deal with or transfer the snake by themselves.” (iStock)
When you encounter a copperhead in a pure setting, most often you must merely depart it alone, Christensen at Rutgers College really helpful.
“Most bites happen when folks attempt to deal with or transfer the snake by themselves,” he added.
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“If you’re bitten by a copperhead, don’t try to seize or kill the snake,” he additionally stated.
“Simply get your self to a hospital for remedy.”
