East Bay Parks warn of rattlesnake population boom
WALNUT CREEK -- The East Bay Regional Park District on Wednesday issued a rattlesnake advisory warning visitors to watch out for the venomous reptiles.
Park staff say they've seen what they call a re-emergence in recent days, and this type of activity is something California could see more of.
"You know, my girl stays pretty close by," said Chris, hiking with his dog Hazy. "You make sure she is well monitored, for sure. Especially on these hotter days."
When Chris and Hazy hike around Shell Ridge, they try to keep their eyes on the ground.
"Absolutely, we keep our eyes peeled for snakes every day," he said.
The park district is asking everyone to be careful, as snakes have been active lately. But much like California's so-called fire season, snake season is starting to stretch out across the calendar as well.
"Oh, say April - middle of April - we were starting to hear a lot of comments from visitors and park staff saying that they were spotting rattlesnakes," says Jen Vanya with the East Bay Regional Park District "
And there's growing evidence that snakes enjoy a warmer climate. More warm days means more snakes out and about.
"Yeah, we've actually heard studies that have talked about the possibility that the warming climate is bringing the snakes out in greater numbers," Vanya said. "There's a little bit of scientific evidence now pointing to that."
It's something worth keeping in mind before hitting the trails.
"Keep an eye on the trails ahead," Vanya explained. "It's never a good idea to walk off the trail, but especially now."
For more rattlesnake safety tips, visit the East Bay Regional Parks website.
