Over the years, there has been a stark increase in the sighting of snakes in Georgia and unfortunately, some have proven to be fatal.It is not only the suburban and the remote areas which have witnessed a rise in the number of encounters with snakes but also the urban areas. A constant increase in population resulting in a decrease in forest cover has been recognized as the main reason behind this observation.A huge chunk of the American population quickly gets comfortable hearing the word ‘snake’ due to an unrealistic amount of fear, but to their relief, hardly 15-20% of the snakes spotted are venomous snakes which can actually cause some harm. Especially in Georgia, if you encounter a snake in your backyard or in the woods, it is more likely to be a non-venomous snake. Thus, people living in Georgia do not need to be overburdened or live in extreme fear, snakes themselves prefer to live in their natural habitats rather than near humans. Looking at the positive aspect of the snake population, not only do these wild animals help in keeping a check on the pest population in the area but also have great medicinal value especially because of their poison. Additionally, there are a large variety of snakes found in Georgia, 46 species to be exact out of which there are only six snake species that can be considered dangerous snakes. Different snake species help the scientists to better research their poison which eventually leads to better medicinal results. Let us now focus on some of the common venomous snakes of Georgia.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about Florida water snakes and how snakes reproduce here on Kidadl?Most Dangerous Snakes In GeorgiaSnakes form an integral part of the food chain of wild animals, and they must be credited for the low population of rats and rodents in the area which has a considerably high snake population. Now, of all the different species of snakes found in Georgia, we will focus on those snake species which can potentially kill humans with a single bite. Snake species such as eastern indigo snakes and rat snakes like eastern rat snake and gray rat snake won’t be included in the list as they are non-venomous snakes.The venomous snakes which pose a threat to people living in Georgia include eastern coral snake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, copperhead snake, cottonmouth, and pigmy rattlesnake. Beginning with the eastern coral snake, of all the snakes in the list, this is the one that can be identified in the easiest way. The eastern coral snake has black, yellow, and red colors arranged in a unique pattern. On average, the length of the eastern coral snake is 3-4 ft ( 0.9-1.2 m) and it weighs around 3-5 lb ( 1.4-2.3 kg). The eastern coral snake is usually sighted during the fall and spring season owing to the favorable weather condition and is uniquely known for the fixed fangs in the top of its mouth.Next up, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is an especially dangerous snake highly infamous for its fatal encounters with humans. Although surprisingly, it isn’t the most aggressive snake, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake acts out of self-defense when humans try and capture it. This snake has an average body length of 5.5 ft (1.7 m) and a weight of 5 lb (2.3 kg). The timber rattlesnake is an old resident of Georgia and is at times protected by the people for its ability to keep farms free of rice and rats. The timber rattlesnake weighs around 1-3 lb ( 0.5-1.5 kg) and has an approximate body length of 36-60 in ( 91.5-152 cm). Similar to the eastern diamond rattlesnake, these snakes also attack when provoked.As the name suggests, the copperhead snake has a copper-colored body along with a triangular-shaped head. These snakes can be as long as 40 in (102 cm) and weigh around 4-12 oz ( 113-340 g) on average. Unlike many other snake species of Georgia, the copperhead snake is often spotted in the suburban areas and over the years they have bitten more people than any other snake native to this region. Moving on to the cottonmouth snake or as it is called the water moccasin, the cottonmouth gets its name from the white color present in the roof of its mouth, and unlike most of the other snakes, the cottonmouth is often sighted near freshwater habitats such as rivers and floodplains.Common Venomous Snakes In GeorgiaIn the recent past, a large number of people in Georgia have been bitten by some venomous snakes residing in the area but thanks to the antitoxins and immediate medical care, the fatality rate is very low. Most of the venomous snakes in Georgia have been existing in the area for a long now, thus the antitoxin to each and every venom type has been long developed but people still must not poke the snakes and should move away at sighting one. Additionally, a lot of non-venomous snakes in Georgia look similar to the venomous ones and it is currently illegal to kill a non-venomous snake in Georgia.The eastern coral snake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, and copperhead make some of the most common venomous snakes in Georgia. The copperhead is infamous for its encounter with humans as they bite the highest number of people every year which is mainly due to its wide habitat range. The copperhead is spotted in suburban areas more than any other snake type and can live in dry areas as well. The eastern coral snakes, on the other hand, aren’t spotted in extreme weather conditions. The coral snakes are usually seen during the fall and spring season and people must keep their distance from this snake type at all costs. Of all snake types in Georgia, the eastern coral snake’s venom is the only one that can potentially kill a human if not treated immediately. This snake can be easily identified owing to its unique body color and the long fangs fixed at the top of its mouth. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is another venomous snake found in Georgia but it is known not only for its vicious bite but also for its body size. Of all rattlesnake species, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest one with the largest one ever recorded at 8 ft (2.4 m).Non-Venomous Snakes In GeorgiaThe majority of the snakes in Georgia are non-venomous. It is common for people to confuse a non-venomous snake with a venomous one and vice versa. Thus, one must take the wise step of stepping away after sighting a snake, whichever kind it is. Let us now take a look at some of the non-venomous snake species commonly spotted in Georgia.The eastern green watersnake, banded watersnake, brown snake, ringneck snake, common garter snake, queen snake, and mole kingsnake are some of the non-venomous snakes known to exist in Georgia. In total, there are around 39 non-venomous snake species that live in Georgia. None of these snakes contain venom but it is better to leave them alone as you can confuse a venomous one for a non-venomous one. Moreover, you can be fined up to $1000 along with a one-year jail term if you are found guilty of killing a non-venomous snake. The best step to take is to call the professionals and let them handle the situation.Copperheads And Their Non-Venomous Look-A-LikesCopperheads are among the most venomous snakes in Georgia. The copperhead, cottonmouth, and timber rattlesnake are all pit vipers which is a unique way of identifying them as venomous snakes and differentiating them from their non-venomous look-a-likes. There are several non-venomous snakes in Georgia which look similar to the copperhead and can be differentiated only by experts.Eastern rat snakes are often confused for a copperhead owing to a similar pattern on the body, but the eastern rat snakes are completely harmless. One way you can differentiate between them is by their habitat; the eastern rat snakes often live in attics or crawl spaces like the basement which is not a habit of the copperhead. Northern black racer, northern watersnake, eastern milksnake, eastern hog-nosed snake, and the red corn snake are some of the snake species which resemble a copperhead due to their body pattern.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for poisonous snakes in Georgia, then why not take a look at snakes in England or pit viper facts?
Over the years, there has been a stark increase in the sighting of snakes in Georgia and unfortunately, some have proven to be fatal.
