Meet Enzo Ferrari, a Northern Pacific rattlesnake with a need for speed.
Last week, the rattlesnake hitched a ride from Spirit Ridge Lodge in Nk’Mip, Osoyoos to the Ferrari dealership in Vancouver.
The Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. Support Centre Helpline received a call about a snake spotted inside a Ferrari and they were sent a picture.
“To our surprise, a photo determined it wasn’t a local Garter snake, but a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake,” said the wildlife rescue.
Wildlife Rescue dispatched a rescue and transport volunteer who safely brought the snake to their friends at Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge for an assessment.
Dr. Adrian Walton and his team discovered that Enzo had been microchipped by the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre for research which means they know exactly where to take this snake home, right down to the rock he was living at.
After a clean bill of health, Walton convinced his kids that a good Father’s Day present would be to take a road trip to Osoyoos and bring this at-risk species home.
Enzo was driven home last week to the Nk’Mip desert albeit his ride back wasn’t in such a fancy vehicle.
But before that Dr. Walton put together a video of the snake’s adventures.
Last summer’s Nk’Mip wildfire devastated habitat for local rattlesnakes. The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre is studying the impact that wildfire has had on the local snake population. They paint one of the rattles on the snake’s tail to indicate which ones are being studied.
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