Venomous cottonmouths grow to 3 to 4 feet on average in North Carolina, but one more than 5 feet long was recorded by a state herpetologist in a wildlife preserve near the coast.
Venomous cottonmouths grow to 3 to 4 feet on average in North Carolina, but one more than 5 feet long was recorded by a state herpetologist in a wildlife preserve near the coast. By Frederick S. Boyce/Cottonmouth Acres
“An unusually large” venomous cottonmouth was caught on video by a herpetologist slogging through a muddy coastal wildlife preserve in eastern North Carolina.
The snake was “in excess of 5 feet” long, reports Frederick Boyce, who is based at the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
“Average” for a cottonmouth in North Carolina is 3 to 4 feet, the state Wildlife Resources Commission says.
Unlike most people, Boyce’s reaction at seeing such a large cottonmouth was to be “thrilled.”
“Snakes over 6 feet of any kind are rare, and for cottonmouths truly exceptional. This one is definitely on the upper end somewhere,” Boyce told McClatchy News.
“Genetics still play a major role in the size of an individual, so not just any old cottonmouth will attain such a size, no matter how much it eats.”
He suspects the snake is a male and at least 10 years old, which puts it in its prime.
The video, which has generated hundreds of reactions and comments on Facebook, shows the cottonmouth working its way out of a muddy ditch and into the weeds on May 10. Several commenters pointed out it seemed surprisingly “relaxed” in its movements, while others noted it has a “huge head” to go with that long body.
“Cottonmouths tend to be heavy-bodied snakes and aren’t usually known for length,” Boyce said. “Even a three foot-long cottonmouth can seem to be a lot larger than it is because they are so girthy. Male cottonmouths are almost always larger than females, and the largest males that I see … are in the 40-50 inch range. So this guy really stood out.”
Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, are a water-loving pit viper that is native to the Southeast. The name cottonmouth comes from the way the snakes gape at predators, exposing the white interior of their mouth.
The largest cottonmouth on record was just over 74 inches, and it was found “in the Dismal Swamp region near the Virginia-North Carolina line,” according to the Virginia Herpetological Society.
Cottonmouth venom is not considered fatal, but it “contains enzymes that cause local destruction of tissue,” along with swelling, nausea and vomiting, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Hospitalization is typically required, the library says.
The large cottonmouth Boyce recorded “was foraging in a farm ditch late in the day on May 10.” (Not long after seeing it, Boyce went back and measured the height of the bank to confirm the snake’s length.)
The exact location is not being revealed to keep the snake safe, but Boyce refers to the area as Cottonmouth Acres. The 25-acre site has about 100 “resident” cottonmouths and Boyce has a Facebook page devoted to their activities, with more than 6,300 followers.
“A large thunderstorm was looming in the west, the wind was kicking up, and it was growing darker, which may explain why this guy decided to exit the ditch and climb up the opposite bank. (That’s) something they rarely do except at dusk when seeking a refuge for the night,” Boyce said in the Facebook post about the video.
The snake reappeared May 18 “resting under a large dead tree on the other side of the ditch,” he said.
Boyce stumbled onto the Cottonmouth Acres location in 2017, during a wetland restoration project. He says he has never been bitten by one of the snakes, despite close proximity on a regular basis.
“It seems that the more closely I watch the snakes at Cottonmouth Acres, the more aware I become of how little I do know,“ he said.
“This may come as a blow to the egos of some, but contrary to popular belief, snakes really don’t want to bite us and would just as soon not. One can safely observe even lots of venomous snakes with no fear of being bitten — I’m living proof.”
This story was originally published May 21, 2021 10:09 AM.
Mark Price has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1991, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.
