Snake talk planned as researcher continues study into South Okanagan rattlesnake roadkills

An Okanagan snake researcher is preparing a lecture to discuss her studies and educate the public about the valley’s seven species of snakes.

Snake researchers Michell Matson and Jade Spruyt are in the second year of a snake research project on White Lake Road, located about 15 kilometres southwest of Penticton.

Matson is preparing a lecture on snakes in the South Okanagan at Kaleden’s Pioneer Park on Sept. 28 at 11 a.m.

Matson hopes to have snakeskins shed by the region’s gopher, racer and rattlesnake species on display, along with a series of photos of the Okanagan’s different species. She’s also planning on bringing some of the gear used in the research and tagging project on White Lake Road.

She and Spruyt are focussing on rattlesnake road mortality, studying the effectiveness of directional fencing and culverts that were installed under White Lake Road to aid snakes’ road crossings.

Matson says a previous researcher, Stephanie Winton, conducted research that revealed if nothing was done to mitigate the the number of rattlesnakes getting run over, the population of snakes in the basin would be gone in the next 100 years.

Part of Matson’s talk will be an update on the summer’s research on White Lake Road.

The study area is along White Lake Road, about 15 km southwest of Penticton. | Credit: SUBMITTED: Kaleden Senior’s Committee


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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