Strathcona County has introduced new initiatives to safeguard plains garter snakes from road traffic this autumn. The decision follows a concerning trend of over 1,000 snake fatalities recorded between 2023 and 2025 along a seven-kilometre stretch of Range Road 210, southbound from Township Road 530 to Wye Road.
Margo Pybus, the head of Friends of Cooking Lake-Blackfoot, raised the alarm about the issue to the county authorities after personally witnessing 41 deceased snakes during a drive along the road in May 2023.
Pybus highlighted that the area along the road serves as a favored habitat for garter snakes. The snakes utilize the fields and ponds on the east side for foraging in summer and seek denning opportunities on the west side during winter. As a result, they frequently traverse the highway in spring and fall. The warmth emanating from the asphalt also attracts the cold-blooded reptiles for resting as temperatures drop.
To address these concerns, Strathcona County is collaborating with various organizations, including Friends of Cooking Lake-Blackfoot, Elk Island National Park, and the Beaver Hills Biosphere, to develop strategies for enhancing snake safety on the highway. Measures undertaken so far include seasonal electronic message boards cautioning drivers about snake presence, targeted social media campaigns to raise awareness, and the installation of temporary traffic signs.
Although the number of snake casualties has decreased following the implementation of these measures, it remains unclear whether this reduction is due to heightened driver vigilance or a decline in snake populations. Looking ahead, the county plans to install fencing to guide snakes towards culverts for safe passage to their dens and will reduce speed limits at a known den intersection. Additionally, efforts will focus on influencing public behavior to further mitigate risks to the snake population.
Motorists are urged to remain vigilant for snakes when driving along Range Road 210, with Pybus emphasizing that garter snakes are easily identifiable if drivers know what to look for. She advised, “If there’s something on the road that’s a meter long and in motion, it’s definitely not a branch or a rock.”