Rattlesnake stakes claim on popular SC beach, video shows. Social media was horrified
A beachgoer was out for a stroll when she stumbled upon a slithering surprise on the South Carolina coast, video shows.
It turns out, a venomous snake had staked claim in the sand at the popular Myrtle Beach State Park, according to footage from Facebook user Michelle Robert.
“Just thought I would take a nice walk on the beach,” she wrote on Tuesday, July 26. “Was looking for sea glass when something in the water caught my eye.”
Robert shared photos and video of the reptilian encounter, which horrified some social media users.
“Holy moly,” one person commented on Facebook. “That is crazy, scary and amazing all at the same time.”
“Yeah, I’ll be in the pool,” another person wrote.
While some people in the comments were worried about future beach trips, Robert said she hadn’t had a wildlife sighting like that one in almost two decades of living in Myrtle Beach. The snake has since found a new home away from people, she told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
“Even after this encounter, I wouldn’t be afraid to get back in the ocean,” Robert said.
From its end, the snake seemed to be enjoying the sun and surf.
“Crazy thing ... I think he liked it,” Robert wrote on Facebook. “Waves were tossing him around and he kept going back in!”
Robert said she was “the only one around” when she first spotted the snake at about 5:30 p.m. She said she had been driving near Myrtle Beach State Park when she decided to stop for a walk and came across the scaly creature.
“At first, I wasn’t sure if it was actually alive,” she said. “The wave would kind of toss it around a little bit. But then I saw it was swimming.”
In a follow-up post, Robert said she was informed that the creature was a canebrake rattlesnake. The species, also called a timber rattlesnake, is one of the six venomous types found in South Carolina.
Timber rattlesnakes live throughout the state and grow up to 5 feet long. While they typically don’t show aggressive behavior toward people, anyone who sees them is urged to keep a safe distance, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
The Snake Chaser wildlife service told WPDE the snake likely ended up at the beach after it washed onto shore. The animal was released into a swampy area, according to the TV station.
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