SNAKE BOARD MONITORING

Applications for this program are currently closed. Thank you for your interest in volunteering. Please check out some of our other opportunities.

Muskoka Conservancy has a Snake Coverboard Monitoring Transect of 24 boards set up at a Nature Reserve in Gravenhurst. If you love snakes and want to help us learn about what species are found on our protected Nature Reserves, this role is a great fit for you!

Role Responsibilities:

• Assist staff during 1 of the 8 required monitoring surveys from May-July (you may sign up for more than 1 event)

• You will assist with snake identification, ageing, sexing, etc

• Depending on your comfort level, you may assist with snake handling and/or data collection

Qualifications:

• Comfortable hiking in and around forests, wetlands, and rocky areas

• Interest in snakes and their protection

• Able to identify or learn to identify common snake species in Muskoka

• Able to lift 2’ x 4’ plywood boards

Why we do it

• 5 of Muskoka’s 11 snake species are listed as ‘at risk’ provincially and/or federally

• We want to learn more about the snakes that call Muskoka Conservancy’s Protected Areas, home

• Snakes can be hard to find, by setting up artificial snake coverboards we are able to better find individuals while also having a lesser impact on their natural habitat

• The information we find will contribute to Ontario Nature’s Long-Term Snake Monitoring Program

Available Monitoring Survey Times:

• Monitoring surveys will start May 15th and occur every 5-9 days for 8 weeks

• Surveys will take place 2 hours after sunrise OR 2hrs before sunset

• The timing of monitoring surveys depends on environmental factors such as temperature and weather, therefore the exact dates and times of the surveys are not available yet

• After you sign up, you will get an email asking you to select the Visit(s) you would like to participate in from the list below. You will then be contacted the week prior to the Visit(s) you have selected to confirm the exact date and time

• Available Visits to sign up for:

o Visit 1: Week of May 15th

o Visit 2: Week of May 20th

o Visit 3: Week of May 27th

o Visit 4: Week of June 3rd

o Visit 5: Week of June 10th

o Visit 6: Week of June 17th

o Visit 7: Week of June 24th

o Visit 8: Week of July 1st

*Training on how to identify Muskoka snake species and protocol guidelines will be provided, and is a requirement to participate as a Snake Monitoring Volunteer