Colorado Parks & Wildlife Officers Find Surprise Stowaway

Two aquatic technicians with Colorado Parks and Wildlife picked up a hitchhiker this last weekend. Unfortunately, their guest did not want to leave the vehicle peacefully.

The officers were on their way back following some water sampling when they noticed a passenger crawling out from under the hood. In this case, the stowaway was a North American Racer.

As is often the case with hitchhikers, the snake didn't want to leave the vehicle. Who can blame it? It's hot outside. After a bit of a struggle and a bite to one of their gloved hands, the officers were able to remove the snake. Fortunately, the North American Racer is not venomous.

So, what exactly is a North American Racer? According to Mt.gov:

A slender, moderately long snake, the North American Racer ranges from 20 to 65 inches in length. In adults, color of the back can vary from uniform greenish gray to brown or blue. The belly is whitish to pale yellow, the latter extending onto scales of the upper lips and nasal region of the head. The eyes are relatively large, and the scales are smooth.

So, what is to become of the snake? Colorado Parks and Wildlife shared via Twitter, “Techs Melanie Ballew and Destiny Beltran will be returning it to Karval to be released.