HANCOCK — A quiet drive along State Route 17 took a startling turn on Sept. 23 when a motorist in Hancock felt something unexpected — a snake slithering up her leg.
The woman, whose name was not released, pulled over safely to the shoulder and called for help. Within minutes, Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) and a State Trooper arrived to investigate.
After a brief search, the culprit was found: a two-foot-long garter snake coiled inside the vehicle. The officers gently removed the snake and relocated it to a wooded area nearby, according to a statement from the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Though the incident sent a jolt through the driver’s day, experts say there was little cause for alarm. Garter snakes are common throughout New York, found in woodlands, fields, and even backyards. They are nonvenomous and pose no threat to humans or pets.
