Wolfy's dramatic roadway rescue!

[wolfy-hound]

I was just telling someone before I left work that nothing of note has happened to me lately.

Yeah, I should have kept my mouth shut. On my drive home, I was tooling along on 207 at a 'good clip' which translates to about 73 mph. I suddenly spot a poor confused snake in the center of the road. Now.. this is a divided 4 lane highway(2 lanes each direction with a wide median), so it's on the yellow line between the fast and slow lanes. It's gonna die. I mean, there's no way this poor snake will ever make it the rest of the way without help!

It's Super Wolfy to the rescue!! Yes! Faster than some elderly turtles, able to leap to conclusions in a single bound, I jump into action! I pulled over immediately, and grabbed my handy snake hook from behind the truck seat.

What? You don't carry snake capturing equipment in your vehicle as a matter of routine? Tcch tchh. But I digress...

As I'm grabbing my hook and getting out and looking at traffic, part of my astute brain is identifying the snake from the brief glimpse I got as I passed it. I'm pretty certain it's a water snake, non-venomous but feisty, but it could be a water moccasin or even a dark rattler, perhaps a pregnant black racer..

I check traffic, and wave at a oncoming truck to move to the fast lane so I can trot out to capture the snake which hasn't moved. I'm hoping it's not already injured, but certain it seemed lively when I passed it. As I get out into the road I move up carefully, completely aware that it could be a venomous(and ticced off) snake, and I do NOT want to get bitten.

The truck that moved to the fast lane for me passes and I can concentrate on the snake and I immediately realize that this is the VERY rare Northern Tattered Cable. Now, Tattered Cables are fairly common on most roadways, being found throughout the United States anywhere that vehicles travel. But Northern Tattered Cables are not so common and so I was indeed lucky to happen on one, not only in the open road, but in peril so I was able to assist it!

I cursed rather loudly and creatively in order to soothe the Cable as I expertly tailed it and lifted it's length on the snake hook. Moving it carefully across the roadway, I placed it into the ditch where it can live out it's days in happiness and safety.

Note: Although Tattered Cables of all localities are non-venomous, they have been known to draw blood, so careful handling is always advised!! Also, please note that at no point should anyone endanger themselves or other drivers/passengers in cars by 'darting' into traffic to assist any creature. Please be safe when attempting rescues!!

At any rate, I did rather wish I'd gotten a picture of the lovely creature, but I'll have to be content with my memories of such a exciting and successful rescue!