HOMEWARD BOUND
Rat snake on the mend after trauma
An American rat snake is on the road again and heading home, thanks to the Toronto Wildlife Centre.
In May, a young western rat snake arrived in Toronto after crossing the U.S. border stowed away in tires loaded on a truck from Arkansas.
The snake has injuries to his back and was dehydrated from his 2,000-km journey, but has since recovered at the TWC.
On Wednesday, the three-foot snake was well enough to start his trek back home, but that was after countless hours of the TWC dealing with border officials and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Trying to get him home has been a long road. There have been a lot of challenges to get him on an airline (Delta) and we had to jump through hoops in Arkansas to prove that he came from that area,” said Nathalie Karvonen, executive director of the TWC.
“This is a young snake and has a lot of life left to live.”
Cooper Tire in Texarkana, Ark., where the snake came from, has been working with the TWC to repatriate the snake.
Cooper employees will pick the snake up at the airport in Little Rock and drive him back to where he came from, to be released in his forest home.
“This snake has made an incredible journey and we are pleased to work with the TWC to ensure he is returned to his home,” said Jon Huffman, Cooper’s Canadian sales manager.
The flight home — in a climate controlled compartment — cost the TWC about $80.
Cooper donated a $1,000 gift voucher for tires to be auctioned at the next TWC annual Wils Ball fundraising gala.
Western rat snakes can grow to be six feet in length and are non-venomous. They love eating rats.