Story: Adam was leading a guided nature hike when he found this beautiful eastern hognose snake in some white pine woods in a forestry reserve in Ontario's Norfolk County. The snake reared up, as if to strike, and rattled its tail. This is a common defence strategy used by eastern hognoses: pretending to be a dangerous. In reality, hognoses aren't dangerous, unless you're a toad or rodent. They often pretend to "rattle" their tails to scare off predators, even though they don't actually have a rattle. If that doesn't work, these snakes will sometimes even play dead! Adam was able to capture this photo of the snake before it silvered off into the brush. 

Did you know? 

• The eastern hognose is technically a venomous snake, but its venom is too mild to be dangerous to humans. The venom will kill toads and other amphibians. 

• The eastern hognose when threatened will flatten its head like a cobra, rear up, and pretend to strike, but doesn't often bite. 

• Will play dead if its other defences haven't worked. 

• Typical size is 51-84 cm, but record size is 115.6 cm. 

• Can live up to 12 years

• Tragically, are often mistaken for rattlesnakes and sometimes killed because people fear them 

• One of Adam's favourite snakes