Officials with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks are urging residents to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes, now that the warmer weather has arrived.
The Massassauga rattlesnake lives along the eastern shores of Georgian Bay and on the Bruce Penninsula.
Officials say if you spot a rattlesnake, stay calm, do not approach and wait for the snake to move or adjust your route. The Massassauga is venomous and will bite in self-defence if disturbed or harassed.
Although they present a relatively low risk to public safety, when bites do occur, according to the minsitry, they are a serious and potentially life-threatening and should be treated as such.
If bitten by a Massassauga, stay calm and as inactive as possible. Call 9-1-1 and proceed to the hospital.
More information on the rattlesnake can be found here.