I was out for a hike today with the kids in one of Minnesota's state parks, and we stumbled up on an injured snake close to the parking lot. I wasn't sure if I should try to move him or not, so I decided to take some pictures, and then go to the ranger station and ask them what they wanted to do.







When looking at the snake, I thought that it might have gotten injured from a lawn mower, because it looked like the grass had been mowed recently. However, the rangers said the the snake had been run over by a bicycle on Tuesday. They said that they had left it, because they thought it would have a better chance of surviving on it's own (therefore not giving it extra stress by capturing it and taking it out of it's evnironment).

The rangers were surprised that it was still alive, and told me that it was a watersnake. I'm not very good with my Minnesota colubrids, but I guess it makes sense since it was right next to the river.

So, what do you guys think? Were they right in leaving the snake? Or should they have tried to save it -- remember, this is a state run entity, and they probably don't have anything budgeted for saving wildlife.

What do you suppose it's chances of survival are? Is the main risk infection?

Thanks,

George