A timber rattlesnake, one of New York State’s native venomous snakes, was recently found trapped in a garage in Hancock, Delaware County. A New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officer responded to the call on July 25, safely freeing the snake from black mesh netting and releasing it back into the wild away from the home.

Timber rattlesnakes, along with copperheads and eastern massasaugas, are venomous pit vipers native to New York and are protected as a threatened species under state law. These snakes are generally non-aggressive unless threatened, and the DEC advises the public to observe them from a safe distance and contact Environmental Conservation Officers for safe removal if necessary.