Research and protection

The Massasauga rattlesnake is a species as risk, officially classified as "threatened". The main threats to the Massasauga rattlesnake are: road mortality (being hit and killed by cars on roads), human persecution, and habitat loss.

Parks Canada is working to protect and restore Massasauga rattlesnake populations on the Bruce Peninsula through the On the Road to Recovery project. This includes the installation of Eco-passages on roadways and a Massasauga public outreach and stewardship program.

You can help Massasaugas by driving cautiously in and around the park, and by reporting snake sightings (dead or alive) on the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas App.