I trapped this little guy using a have-a-heart trap. He has been living under my house and eating out of my garden. Now he has been safely relocated to a rural area about 5 miles from here. I wish him only the best in his new surroundings.
Note: No animals were harmed in the writing of this post.
It’s a real wakeup shock to walk up on a 3 to 4 foot snake laying in the sun right beside the trail. My mind registered him and my muscles reacted instinctively. Before I even realized it, I had jumped 2 feet in the air and backward. Only then did I become consciously aware there was a snake, and what I had done. Ancient survival programming recognizing a danger pattern and firing. There is still that animal core of protective instinct deep within us.
Mr. Gopher Snake remained frozen, his own instinct telling him not to move. I left him in peace to soak up as much sun as he wanted. He has a tale to tell Mrs. Gopher Snake this evening.
Only after assuring himself that the cat on the pillow is not real, Miles settles down in his chair.
With a bellow that freezes the entire beach, this guy comes ashore. It’s a sound that demands respect, and raises the apprehension level a notch. There’s no doubt as to who the alpha is around here.
For more information on the rookery, see www.elephantseal.org