Wild snake stops butcher in his tracks in Middle Arm

If you've thought living in Newfoundland and Labrador meant you were safe from coming into contact withsnakes think again.

Josh Kane, an avid outdoorsmanand wild game butcher, was driving through Middle Arm on the Baie VertePeninsula last week when he spotted something he didn't think was even on the island.

There was a snake in the middle of the road.

"I was truly shocked. I had no idea that theywere so large here," said Kane on Thursday.

He said the snakewas likely a garter snake, which prey on small insects but areharmless to humans.

Not native but snakes spotted

Kane said that after bringing up his sighting to people in the area last week, many said they had heard similar reports of snakes in Middle Arm.

In a statement to CBC News, the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources said that while snakes are not native to Newfoundland, there have been numerous sightings over the past 30 years.

According to the department, the snakes are known to arrive in Newfoundland on farm shipments from other provinces in hay bales.

Sometimes people who have brought pet snakes into the province, releasethem in the wild.

While there havebeen reports of garter snakes on the province's southwest coast, the Codroy Valley and the Avalon Peninsula, the department said this may be the first reported sighting in Middle Arm.

The department asksanyone who comes in contact with a snake in the province to report the sighting.

Under the Wildlife Act, it's illegal to import a wild animal into the province without prior written permission from the department.

Earlier this week, a raccoon went on the lam near Airport Heights.

Like snakes, raccoons are not native to Newfoundland and Labrador.