Gordie Howe International Bridge

Jul 12, 2017

The Butler’s Gartersnake and the Eastern Foxsnake are at risk of disappearing from Ontario and are protected under the Federal Species at Risk Act and the Ontario Endangered Species Act.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge project is working hard to protect at-risk snakes in the job site.

To learn more about these species at risk snakes, click or hover over the text balloons to read the chat between
Marcus the Butler’s Gartersnake and Ellie the Eastern Foxsnake.

Marcus the Butler's Gartersnake and Ellie the Eastern Foxsnake are on their cell phone's texting each other.

Hey Ellie. Isn’t it interesting that we are both snakes, yet we are so different?

Hi Marcus! What do u mean?

I’m small, only about 38-51 cm long.

Wow u are small! I’m Ontario’s 3rd largest snake. I can grow up to 91-137 cm long! What do you look like?

I have 3 orange-to-yellow stripes running along my body.Hby?

I have yellow and dark brown patches on my belly. Where do you live?

I’m only found in Southwestern Ontario and in 4 US states.

Really? I am only found along the shorelines of Lakes Huron and Erie in Ontario, Michigan and Ohio. Do we prefer different habitats too?

I like to live in wet, grassy areas like fields.

That’s cool! I like to live in unforested areas like shorelines.

People shouldn’t be afraid of me – I am harmless.

My tail sometimes makes a buzzing sound but I am harmless too.

Snake Chat