In our final match up of the week, the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) faces off against the Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) — the snake so nice, they named it twice!
Actually, the reason why Lampropeltis is named triangulum twice is because it’s a subspecies of the common milk snake. The snake’s range differs from other milk snakes, and can be found from Ontario to Maine in the north to Alabama and North Carolina to the south. It’s non-venomous, and is the basis of the poem “red touching black, safe for Jack, red touching yellow (coral snake), kill a fellow” – although this is not consistent enough to be trustworthy. Any snake you see in the wild probably should not be touched, if only for the fact that these creatures deserve to be left alone. Observe from a distance, and give these creatures their space. Check out this eastern milk snake fact sheet offered by the State of Connecticut for some interesting milk snake facts.
If you’ve visited rare, or followed us online, or subscribed to our biannual newsletter, you will have met our next contestant: Tophat! Tophat is a painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) that was rescued, but unfortunately can’t go back into the wild due to its contact with humans. We’ve given Tophat a good home at rare headquarters, where it keeps us company, and can act as an educational resource for kids at our ECO Camps and on school visits – though we mostly leave her to her tank, basking under her heat lamp.
Painted turtles, along with snapping turtles, are common through southwestern Ontario, and are among those we tend to rescue during breeding season, as people call our Turtle Hotline to report vulnerable nests. So, be on the lookout for these creatures starting in April and May, and if you see any in trouble, report it to the Turtle Hotline.
So, who continues to round two, the painted turtle or the eastern milk snake? We don’t play favourites here in March Species Madness, but maybe you do. If you can’t bear to make Tophat sad, vote for her fellow creatures of her species. If you can, then the eastern milk snake welcomes your support. Vote now below: