How many snakes are slithering around the Pensacola area? Check out the Snake Report

We're not trying to scare you, but − (insert creepy, slithering music here) − COTTONMOUTH SNAKES!

Seriously, we're not trying to scare you. But watch out for the cottonmouths. They're out there.

The venomous cottonmouth was the most reported snake sighted in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in 2023, according to the recently-released 2023 Pensacola Bay Snake Report.

There were 49 reported sightings of the cottonmouth between Jan. 1 and Dec. 10. In total, four of the six venomous snake species that reside in Florida were reported in the two-county area, including the eastern diamondback rattlesnake with seven sightings; the dusky pygmy rattlesnake, which was reported six times; and the eastern coral snake, which was only encountered once, though it is known to be more prevalent, said Escambia County Sea Grant Extension Agent Rick O'Connor, who compiled and spearheaded the report.

If you want to be part of the 2024 Pensacola Bay Snake Report, send sighting information to O'Connor at roc1@ufl.edu.

O'Connor compiled the first Pensacola Bay Snake Report in 2022 and plans to soon research the cottonmouth populations on area barrier islands, noting there are large populations on barrier islands off of Florida's "Big Bend" area.

"I'm fascinated by them," said O'Connor, who also spearheads the Extension's "Living with Florida Snakes" program. "People are usually on two ends of the spectrum. Some can't get enough of them, and they're a rare group. A lot more are afraid. One reason is that they see snakes as, for a lack of a better word, cryptic and sneaky. I have had people tell me there's is something wrong with a creature that doesn't have legs."

According to O'Connor's report, there were 215 reported snake encounters through Dec. 10. Of the 40 snake species known to inhabit the two-county area, 24 were encountered, most of them harmless.

There were increases from 2022 to 2023 − a 136% increase in snake sightings this year, and 13% more species were encountered. But O'Connor attributes that to a few more people becoming aware of the report. There will probably be more increases in 2024 for the same reason.

Breaking the report down geographically, 13 species were encountered in north Escambia County, 16 species in south Escambia County, 17 species in north Santa Rosa County and 11 species in south Santa Rosa. O'Connor doesn't like to break it down more than that for fear of poachers zeroing in on habitats. (By the way, the cottonmouth was found in all four areas.)

Realtor John Douglas of Cantonment − according to his Facebook profile, he's also a "time traveler, poet" and "average Gulf Coast Dad" – has had plenty of snake encounters since moving to the family home in Cantonment more than a year ago. There's a pond on the property − a pond with catfish, brim, crawfish and, yes, snakes.

"We have a nice collection of water snakes out here and my son and I have grown quite fond of them," he said. "But these snakes are all non-venomous and quite beautiful. They have grown used to seeing me so you can get right next to them, they don't care. The largest one is about 5 feet long and a couple of times as I walked around the pond it would swim alongside just in front of me and would eat the frogs that would jump off the bank back into the pond. It used me in its hunt. It was so cool ... they're all in their underground bunkers and holes now." (Spring was the leading month for reported sightings with 80. Fall had the least sightings with 17.)

Most snake encounters are harmless. Though they might give a person a momentary fright. Gwendolyn Mercer of Pensacola has had a few of those encounters, including just a little scare from a surprise face-to-face with a hog nose snake.

"I was pulling some weeds out front because the hill is too steep for me to drag the lawnmower," she said. "When I pulled up a wad of dead dandelions, he came running out. Well, sliding. Snakes don't run."

Scared? Nah, not really.

"I mean, it startled me because I wasn't expecting a little dude to be under there," she said. "I was a little offended when he flattened his head and hissed at me."

The Escambia County Extension is now participating in a project, Snake Lungworm Alliance Monitoring (SLAM), that collects deceased snakes for examination by researchers. If you find a deceased snake in good enough condition to be dissected, place it in a plastic Ziploc bag, label with the date, location (GPS preferred) and your contact information. You can then bring it to the Escambia County Extension office or freeze it and call O'Connor at 850-475-5230 or email roc1@ufl.edu to arrange pick up.

To read the 2023 Pensacola Bay Area Snake Report, go to 2023 Pensacola Bay Snake Watch Annual Report | Panhandle Outdoors (ufl.edu).

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Bay Snake Report details Escambia, Santa Rosa sightings