Searchers found no snake, no shed skin, no tracks and no scent. After weeks of work around Gibbs Hill Lighthouse in Southampton, Bermuda’s Ministry of Public Works and Environment said on a Wednesday that it has no evidence a rattlesnake was ever there.
The alert went out on 26 June, the day a possible sighting was reported near Gibbs Hill Road. Officers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo began investigating. No injuries were reported. Residents were told to call 911, not to approach, capture or harm the animal, and to keep it in sight from a safe distance if they could. People nearby were advised to stay out of dense vegetation and not to reach into spots they could not see, such as under boards or inside pipes. Pet owners were asked to keep animals indoors or closely supervised.
The search
Late in June the ministry said it was sourcing antivenom and extra protective equipment for responders. The Bermuda Hospitals Board later confirmed it had antivenom in its internal dispensary.
At the start of July, officials combed 52,000 sq ft of ground over six hours looking for an eastern diamondback rattlesnake. The department said then that a photograph supplied by the person who made the report was believed to be genuine. No video was provided. That person had been interviewed by the department and police “multiple times”. With the snake’s sex unknown, a spokesman said, the “reproductive risk cannot be fully dismissed”.
On 16 July, Robert Nozika and Sarah Boese of the US-based National Canine Facility arrived with two Labrador retrievers, K9 Yak and K9 Q, trained to scent the species. They searched mainly at dawn and dusk, when the snakes are generally most active, and at other times over ten days. The Bermuda Police Service and specialist wildlife teams also took part.
What the government says
“The reported sighting was considered credible and warranted a comprehensive response,” Jaché Adams, the public works and environment minister, said. “Given the potentially serious consequences of a venomous invasive species, it was appropriate to take a precautionary approach while investigations were carried out.”
The department will keep monitoring and will look into any credible report that comes in. Adams urged people to enjoy the Cup Match holiday, whether camping, at the beach or in the parks, while staying aware of their surroundings and reporting unusual wildlife to the department.
The Royal Gazette asked the ministry whether the original sighting was still considered credible, whether it might have been a hoax, and what it cost to bring in the Canine Facility. It had received no answer by publication.
Sources
- Rattlesnake sighting reported in Southampton
- Warning issued about rattlesnake sighting
- ‘No evidence’ of rattlesnake after specialist searches
