While many looked on with great interest, there was still the squeamish. Tower Lakes’ residents gathered on Rest Island for what is quickly becoming a regular Forth of July event, the Dr. Steve Wildlife Show. Dr. Steve Barten, resident and local veterinarian, once again amazed the onlookers with wildlife found in and around our area: several turtles, snakes, frogs, salamanders, a kestrel (sometimes called sparrow hawk) and a great horned owl.
Barten made sure to note that every animal he brought was safe. “There are no dangerous animals in Tower Lakes. There are no venomous snakes in the entire Barrington area, so if you see a snake, you automatically know it is safe.” He explained that our native fox snakes often rattle their tails, as many harmless snakes do, but they do NOT have a rattle (if you look closely, which few people do, the tail comes to a sharp point like other harmless snakes) and they are NOT rattlesnakes and they are NOT venomous. He noted that people see the vibrating tail and assume it’s a rattlesnake that is dangerous and should be killed, but it is NOT! Barten added, “In fact, a single fox snake can live longer than 25 years and eat over 500 mice, voles, and shrews in its lifetime. They are a big help to our ecosystem.”
Snapping turtles will bite, but only in self-defense if you are looming over them when they are on land. “Plus, they’re a turtle, it’s not like they can chase you. If you stay 2 feet away from the head you’re safe.” said Barten. “We can all live in harmony. “
Children were enthralled as Dr. Steve showed a good-sized snapping turtle and explained the good they bring to our lake. He demonstrated how slow turtles move – even when running. “There’s no need to be afraid – they don’t attack swimmers – and no need to overtly disturb them either. Just enjoy that we share the lake and land with them,” said Barten.
Snakes are no different. Remembering the three “S’s” of snakes, as Dr. Steve explained, will make residents feel safer. First, a snake is short. They may be up to 3 or 4 feet long but they’re only an inch and a half tall, so they are afraid of our height and won’t openly attack. Second, they are slow. They sometimes appear to be very fast as they wriggle with no legs, but even rattlesnakes have been clocked at only 2 to 5 MPH top speed, and people are faster walkers (or a very slow jog)! Third, they are silent. They have complex nervous systems and feel pain and terror just like any animal, but can’t vocalize when it happens to them. If you ever accidently stepped on your dog and it cried out, you no doubt felt guilty and sorry for the dog. If a snake could scream when it was being beaten with a stick or shovel, you also would feel terrible and stop doing it. They DO feel pain and terror, so please don’t torture them! Remember how many mice they are keeping out of your home!
Perhaps the most amazing animal was a great horned owl with stunning yellow eyes and a penetrating gaze. Dr. Steve’s friend, Jenny Vollamn of the Northern Illinois Raptor Center, a licensed organization that rescues native birds and brings them back to health, brought the owl and kestrel to the show. Both had been injured and no longer can fly to be free, and now serve as educational birds. The owl, which has no name to prevent humans from bonding too closely with this regal wild animal, has fostered orphan owlets that fell from their nest on several occasions, raising them and teaching them how to be owls so they can be released. Great horned owls are common in our area and are often heard but seldom seen. They can lift more than their own weight and surprisingly, one of their favorite prey animals is skunks.
Over 150 people attended the popular show, which was sponsored by the TL Lake Committee. “It is always an informational, interesting talk,” said resident Andrew Young who watched the show with his two young boys. “I learned today that snakes have no eyelids!”