The timber rattlesnake is endangered in New Jersey.
Good news: There's no serpent insurrection.
Firefighters in one northwest New Jersey township recently urged residents to watch out for timber rattlesnakes, saying more of the endangered but venomous creatures are coming down from the mountains near the Delaware Water Gap to lower areas.
While it's good to be cautious, wildlife experts say the snakes are exhibiting normal behavior for this time of year, the tail end of their mating season.
But in case you do come across one (the Knowlton Township firefighters' Facebook post said one was found in a vegetable garden), here's what you should know.
DON'T KILL IT
Timber rattlesnakes are protected as endangered species in New Jersey and require a special permit to kill in Pennsylvania. If you see one, contact authorities who can safely remove it.
In New Jersey, call the Department of Environmental Protection at 877-WARN DEP (877-927-6337). They have a specialized team of experts and trained volunteers who will relocate the snake.
Pennsylvania suggests calling the local conservation officer with the state Fish & Boat Commission.
It would help if you know ...
HOW TO IDENTIFY IT
Timber rattlesnakes can have varied skin tones from yellow to almost solid black, but can be identified by their shovel-shaped head.
Non-venomous snakes will try to mimic the effect of the rattle by shaking their tales on leaves or other objects, the DEP says, so the sound alone is not necessarily a giveaway.
You'll want to make these observations from a distance though, because ...
THEY (USUALLY) WON'T ATTACK
The timber rattlesnake tends to rely on its camouflage to stay out of sight, said Matt McCort, a herpetologist with environmental consultants Herpetological Associates, based in Toms River.
But if provoked, it could strike. McCort recommended staying 8 to 10 feet away from the snake.
It may also help to know ...
WHERE THEY LIVE
There are only two kinds of venomous snakes in New Jersey: the timber rattlesnake and the northern copperhead. Pennsylvania has a third, the endangered eastern massasauga, but that only lives in the northwestern part of the state.
Timber rattlers lose protected status in Pa.
Timber rattlesnakes are found in New Jersey typically around the Kittatinny Ridge north of the Water Gap, the northern Highlands area and in the Pine Barrens, according to the DEP.
SO WHY ARE THEY TURNING UP IN GARDENS?
People are probably just noticing them more, McCort said.
The DEP disputed as "an old farmers' tale" the idea that dry weather is sending the snakes looking for moisture. Most of the water they need they get from their prey, spokesman Larry Hajna said.
Mating season is the more likely reason, McCort said. It typically lasts from July until about this time of year, and the males will appear in broader areas than the rest of the year as they search for mates, he said.
"Sounds like normal behavior," McCort said.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.