Was aggressive snake spotted under Tacoma bridge Eurasian viper? State expert weighs in
Tuesday was no ordinary day for Roger Britz, who happened upon an aggressive snake in Tacoma during his lunch break.
“I just happened to be walking underneath the Lincoln bridge, heading back to work, and I noticed something strike at me,” Britz said.
Britz works at the Port of Tacoma with Electric Motor Services and Controls, an electrical supply store. It was about noon when the 10-inch-long snake struck at him repeatedly under the Lincoln Avenue Bridge along Milwaukee Way, he said.
“(I was) definitely startled,” Britz said. “I just kind of stood back and watched its demeanor and thought to myself it doesn’t look like a normal garter snake. It is acting very, very defensive.”
After the encounter, Britz returned to work and got a coworker to check it out with him. His coworker had a different experience, he said.
His coworker was wearing long jeans while Britz was wearing shorts. His coworker walked to within two or three feet from the snake, and the snake did not “get angry” with him, he said.
“I got within five feet, and the thing just zeroed in on me,” Britz said. “It notices the heat from my legs, and wherever I would move, it would follow.”
Britz said his brother, who has experience raising snakes, thought the snake resembled a Eurasian viper. The 15-minute interaction with the snake ended when it slithered into a hole.
“When it strikes … you can see the fangs,” Britz said. “A normal garter snake doesn’t have fangs.”
Eurasian vipers are venomous and usually have a zigzag pattern, according to a report. They can live in a variety of climates and environments, but are indigenous to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
The News Tribune showed Britz’s photos and video to Lisa Hallock, a herpetologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Hallock said the snake Britz found was a western terrestrial garter snake, not a Eurasian viper.
“I can see why someone might think that because from a distance, the marking kind of looks the same,” Hallock said.
Western terrestrial garter snakes can be found all over the state, Hallock said. They bite but are not venomous. Those who get bitten by a snake should clean the bite immediately before it gets infected.
The only way a Eurasian viper could be in Washington is if somebody released an unwanted pet, Hallock said. It is illegal for people to keep venomous snakes as pets, she added.
“With all snakes, it’s best to give it space and just stay away from it, especially if you don’t know what it is,” Hallock said. “That will keep you safe.”
Britz was relieved when apprised of Hallock’s comments.
“Oh, wow, OK. That’s good,” Britz told The News Tribune on Wednesday. “That’s really good because that way it won’t bite and hurt somebody.”
This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
