First Morning in Merritt stressing over the Knowledge Exam

My First Official Morning in Merritt

Taking the British Columbia Knowledge Exam on August 12th

Tuesday started in mass confusion and slight chaos when both Tasha and myself passed out with setting an alarm for the morning. #pageantrookie mistake. Luckily Tasha woke up around 10 to 8 a.m roughly just over 20 minute before we had to be ready to go for the day including having everything we may need with us. 

So as I said it was a flurry of activity as we got ready and threw stuff into day bags. Lucky for me I had passed out in my contacts and instead of dealing with it before I just took my entire toiletries bag with me as you never know when you might need to brush your teeth. 


So alas on our journey to the Merritt civic Centre Tasha and I were silent in the car alongside our British Columbia Ambassador coordinators Colleen and Teresa. Naturally it was a mix of nerves for our British Columbia Knowledge exam and being still half asleep. 

When we arrived at the civic Centre we were treated to the official Welcome to the British Columbia Ambassador pageant banner strung up along the front entrance. 


After breakfast which I don't even remember they moved our tables apart and alas it was time for our 3 hour BC exam. Which was what I was always considering to be the most daunting part of the pageant. 


I've never considered myself and in school I typically would struggle with the exams and always felt incredibly stupid. There have only been one or two exams I walked out of feeling good about. So naturally this knowledge exam terrified me from the very start. 


I worked as hard as I could trying to learn the material including attempting to read our study guide once a day sometimes even reading it backwards. I also went through and typed up a historic time line as well as wrote blogs and trivia posts. 

I also used outside material from watching YouTube videos to reading non fiction and fiction books about British Columbia including a BC Bathroom reader and several dear Canada BC based diaries. 


I also wrote flash cards but didn't use them instead using my time to just read the study guide cover to cover as much as possible! Lastly I also made copies of the study guide and used white out and didfill in the blanks. I even created full color sketches of our Provincial coat of arms and flag. I even made knowledge exam vision boards and goal plans. 


So I literally studied harder than ever before!!!! And i walked into the exam absolutely terrified but decided to let the pressure go as soon as we got our exams and simply promised myself i would be proud no matter what so long as i tried my best. 

Slowly one by one My fellow candidates handed their exams in and left the room. Until it was myself and another girl before finally it was just me. After leaving many blanks and simple guesses i eventually reminded myself that i wasn't focusing on horrible pressure and after one last review i declared to myself that i had done my absolute best and handed it In. 

I am extremely proud of how much i accomplished and spoiler i received one of the top 3 highest scores on our exam and was given a medal for my effort. Which was a total shock for me and an extremely proud moment. 


Anyway after I left the exam room I headed straight for my table to finish it before..... 
and you have to tune in for what we did that afternoon! !!

The Great outdoors of British Columbia

Picture of sẁiẁs Provincial Park [Formerly Haynes Point] in Osoyoos

British Columbia has the second largest parks system in the world after Canada's National Parks. 13.9 million hectares or 14.7 % of British Columbia is Protected which is more than any other Province in Canada. In 2011 BC Parks celebrated it's 100th Birthday - BC Parks 100 marking the establishment of the first BC Provincial Park, Strathcona Park, on March 1st, 1911. 

The Government of BC owns about 90% of the Land within the Province nearly half of which is covered by trees and is home to 2/3 of the Provinces bird Species and land mammals.  With the Provincial Government working since the 1970's to protect British Columbia from excessive logging and development. 

Today has 1,030 designated Parks and Protected areas

Which takes into the account the hard work of the BC Government since 2001 who established 84 new parks, 156 conservancies, two ecological reserves, and thirteen protected areas. As well as working towards the expansion of 75 parks, six ecological, three protected areas. The Government accounts for the responsibility including protection of 2.3 million Hectares of land which is over 4 times the size of Prince Edward Island.

Part of this protected land includes the 200,000 hectare habitat for the Spirit Bear which is also called the Kermode Bear and is the Provinces official Mammal. 

The Current Parks and Protected areas in British Columbia include Regional, Provincial and National Parks, Provincial and National Historic Sites, Recreational areas, Provincial Marine Parks, Conservation Areas, National Park Reserves and Ecological Reserves 

BC Parks and Protected areas attract more than 20 million visitors yearly with almost 90% of British Columbians having used a Provincial Park at Some point, with an estimated 6 out of 10 residents of BC using a Provincial Park Annually. 

 Roughly 1/3 of the parks offer some developed facilities such as Picnic Shelters, Boat Launches and parking areas. With more than 230 of those parks having facilities that cater to those with Disabilities. Within the Provincial Parks there are 340 campgrounds accounting for 11,000 Campsites. 

Nearly 1/10 of the Provincial Parks are wilderness that is largely undisturbed and untouched by Civilization, there is an estimated 6,000 KM of Hiking trails that are frequently used by Backpackers and Mountaineers. 

The oldest Park in BC is Strathcona Park which was the Province's first established Provincial Park in 1911 and is where you can find the 440 metre Della Falls which is the highest Waterfall in Canada and one of the 10 Highest Falls in the World. 

The Largest Park is Tweedsmuir Park with 989, 616 hectares of land with the smallest park of Memory Island clocking in at less than 1 hectare.  

Other parks of note include the Tatshenshini-Alesk Park which is 947, 026 Hectares in size and alongside adjacent parks in Alaska and the Yukon Territory forms the worlds largest international World Heritage site. The Khutzeymateen park is Canada's only Grizzly Bear Reserve and is home to at least 50 Grizzly Bears. 

The largest in tact Coastal Temperate Rain forest in the world is in Kitlope Heritage Conservancy. The world's most productive Sockeye Salmon Run can be viewed at Roderick Haig-Brown park. 

British Columbia is also home to an abundance of Forests with roughly half the Province Covered in a variety of Trees. 

Coniferous/Evergreen Trees 

Douglas Fir,   Lodgepole Pine,  Arbutus,  Grand Fir,  Ponderosa Pine, 

Subalpine Fir,  Western White Pine,  Sitka Spruce,    Black Spruce, 

White Spruce,  Yellow Cedar,  Mountain Hemlock,  Western Hemlock, Rocky Mountain Juniper and  Western Red Cedar which is the official Tree of BC. 

Deciduous Trees include

The Dogwood which is the Provincial Flower,  

Red Alder,  Big Leaf Maple,  Mountain Alder,  Pacific Crab Apple,  

Choke Cherry,  Sitka Mountain Ash,  Pacific Willow,  Paper Birch, 

Sitka Willow,  Water Birch,  Garry Oak,  Greene Mountain Ash, 

Balsam Poplar (Black Cottonwood)  and the trembling Aspen which is the most wide spread and abundant deciduous Tree in BC. 

Modern Day First Nations in British Columbia

British Columbia is home to a large, Culturally Diverse and widespread Aboriginal Population

BC's Aboriginal People are called First Nations, which refers to those people who can trace their ancestry to the aboriginal people who inhabited the Province in the 18th century prior to the arrival of European and American immigrants. 

Today BC is home to 203 First Nations bands making up a diverse population of Aboriginal people, spread across the province with each Band having it's own interests and issues as well as unique culture. 

The Aboriginal people are continuing to break ties with the reservation in many ways in an effort to improve their status in both their own communities as well as within the Province. Currently The bands have their own variation of Government such as an election of Band Chiefs and band members who work together  towards improving the quality of Life for their members and are recognized by the Provincial and Federal Governments.

Some big poignant years in recent history for the current British Columbia First Nations people included the Sechelt Indian Band becoming the first Aboriginal Group in BC to gain a Municipal Style of Government in 1986. The year 2000 saw the signing of the Nisga'a Treaty which  was created through negotiation of the Nisga'a Nation, the Provincial and Federal Governments to allow for the  the first Constitutionally Protected Self Governing System in BC. The Nisga'a Nation have dwelled in the Nass area since time immemorial, 

Some of the Modern Day Aboriginal people include Gitxsan, Haida, Nisga'a, Squamish and the South Okanagan is home to the Okanagan People. 

Here in Osoyoos we are home to the Osoyoos Indian Band which are members of the Okanagan Nation who call themselves the Sylix People and are included in Formal Salish Interior  ethnological and linguistic grouping. 

The Osoyoos Indian Band has been led by Chief Clarence Louie and has been since the 1980's when he was first elected chief when he was just 24 years old. Under his leadership the Osoyoos Indian Band Development Corporation was established to help ensure the thriving continuance of the Osoyoos Indian Band. One of the most successful achievements of the OIBDC has been the Creation of Nk'Mip Cellars which was the first Aboriginal owned and Operated Winery in North America. 

Today the Osoyoos Indian Band has 450 members, and controls 32,000 acres (13,000 ha) of land between Osoyoos and Oliver. The band continues to thrive financially under Chief Louie's Guidance with OIBDC currently maintaining nine businesses, including tourism, construction, and recreation companies. 

History of the First Nations in British Columbia

British Columbia has always been home to a diverse population of Aboriginal People 

The Modern History of British Columbia really begins with the history of the First Nations people who have lived and flourished here for over 10,000 years. The First Nations history for BC dates back to the end of the last ice Age where as the ice receded, Sea Levels fluctuated and forests advanced creating a land bridge across the Bering Sea connecting Asia to the New World. Where it is believed that people made the journey from Asia to BC. During this time it is believed that the BC Coastal Region was one of the most densely populated areas in all of North America. 

For thousands of Years in the Pacific Northwest three Prominent First Nation Groups of the Nootka, the Coast Salish, the Kwak'wala people divided the land  between themselves. 

Contributing to the thriving First Nations populations  was the Rich Land and Marine Resources that enabled them to develop Complex Societies as well as create Intricate Aboriginal Artwork that is now internationally acclaimed. 

In the East in the region we now call the British Columbia Rockies, the Kootenay people were the keeper of the land. They Fought fiercely for Possession of the precious hot springs found in the Rock Mountains. The Carrier Nation roamed the interior valleys with the Tsimshians roaming the Northern Coast and the Tlingits Occupying Southern Alaska and Northern BC.  While the Sekani and Beaver people occupied the Eastern Region of the North whilst the Haida lived on Haida Gwaii, which was formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands. 

The Aboriginal People of BC historically were prosperous with  their way of  life and Society which was organized around Wealth, Possessions and Potlatches. As well as their work with and practices of trading Fur and Salmon. Also they made great use of the gifts of BC found on land such as how they used the current Provincial Tree of BC the Western Red Cedar played a key role in the lives of West Coast Aboriginal People.These two things were just one of the many things that ultimately changed for the Aboriginal People upon first European Contact. 

The Peaceful existence of the Aboriginal People soon changed  when Famous Historical Explorers set foot in British Columbia starting with Captain James Cook  arriving on Nootka Island in the Northwest Coast of Vancouver Island back in 1778. There was also Captain George Vancouver in 1792, and Alexander MacKenzie in 1793 who was the first European to Navigate the Peace River which got its name when a Treaty was signed in 1790 between the Cree and Beaver Nations. 

First Nations Way of life in British Columbia went through radical changes upon the successful exploration of the Province which resulted in the encouragement of people to travel to and eventually immigrate in British Columbia. Soon the Establishment of the first Fort Fort - Fort Saint John came in 1794 Along side the start of the first trading post by the Hudson's Bay Trading Company [HBC] set up in Hudson's Hope up North. 

All of these contributed to what would be the down fall of the flourishing First Nations Society. Although the Hudson's Bay Company was known for their Fair Treatment of the local Natives the trade between the two groups led to the First Nations abandoning their Traditional Home sites in favor of settlements closer to the Forts for improved trading and protection. Living so close to  European Settlers introduced Muskets, Alcohol, and Smallpox to  the Indigenous people of British Columbia.  

Eventually European Missionaries arrived and started changing the traditional way of Life through banning  Potlatches as well as suppressing their Language and Culture. In 1876 the First Nations were made subject to the Federal Indian Act which caused the heavy loss of Ancestral land and regulated every aspect of their life. 

Colonization and land ownership conflicts soon followed, some of which continue to be an ongoing Issue today. 

BC Info Blog #3 ~ The People of BC

The people of British Columbia 

British Columbia is Canada's 3rd most populated Province after Ontario and Quebec. Did you know that as of December 2012 the population of BC was recorded at 4.62 million people. Roughly half of the population reside in the Greater Vancouver area, while the second largest population of people reside around the Southern tip of Vancouver Island near the capital of Victoria. 

British Columbia is home to people from all different origins who celebrate a variety of cultural traditions, speak different languages, and practice a number of different religions. The Diversity of the population continues to grow as BC sees a steady influx of newcomers from around the world. 

Yearly 34,000 immigrants from around the world arrive in BC. 

Over the past 10 years net migration has accounted for 75% of BC's population growth with the natural increase of Births minus deaths accounting for the remaining 25%. 

For instance back in 2008 the government stated that 9.205 immigrants arrived in BC totaling 17.2% of all immigrants to Canada heading to British Columbia. 

Roughly half the population of BC lives in the Greater Vancouver Area and as of 2011 the 10 most Populous Areas included Vancouver City at the most populated city with 2,13,328 million people living there. The other 9 cities included our Capital of Victoria with the 2nd most amount of people with 344, 615 with Kelowna, Abbotsford, Kamloops, Nanaimo, Chilliwack, Prince George, Vernon and Courtney with a total of 55, 213 people.

Since the 2011  consensus the top 10 most commonly spoken languages in BC are English, Chinese including Cantonese and Mandarin, Punjabi, German, Tagalog, French, Korean, Spanish and Farsi. 

Back during the 2006 Census the Top 10 Ethnic Immigrants to travel to BC were Chinese 18%. Canadian 12%, English 11%, East Indian 10%, German 5%, Scottish 4%, Filipino 3%, Italian 2%, Irish 2%, Ukrainian 1%, and Miscellaneous 32%.

British Columbia Fast Facts

British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871 and is Canada's Western most Province. As of 2012 the population of BC was 4.62 million people!

British Columbia Flag

As you can see above is a hand drawn  picture of the British Columbian Flag, please excuse my interesting art skills. Here is a better picture. The Provincial Flag was adopted in 1960 and duplicates the Shield of Arms and it measures five by length and Three by width.

As you can see there is a union jack which symbolizes are Colonial Origins. It is nearly identical to that of the British Flag with the only difference being a Gold Crown in the center.

Below that are wavy blue and silver lines which represent our geographic location between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The setting sun at the bottom can have a number of different symbolic meanings. For instance it could represent the fact that we are the most western province in Canada. Or it could be seen as reflection of the official Latin Motto Phrase for BC which is Splendour Sine Occasu which translates to Splendor without diminishment.  
It can also be seen as a symbolic interpretation of the phrase "The sun never sets... on the British Empire."

Provincial Flower ~ the Dogwood

The Provincial Flower is the Dogwood tree which  became BC'S floral emblem in 1956. This is me posing with a Pink Dogwood tree. These deciduous trees are between 6 to 8 metres high and are considered medium height. The Dogwood flowers between April and May but is also known for it's cluster of bright red berries and brilliant foliage during Autumn.

Here is a picture of a dogwood. Fun Fact: At one time the British Columbia Ambassador Crowns were custom made and incorporated designs using the Dogwood Flower! 

Provincial Bird ~ Stellar's Jay 

The Stellar's Jay became the Province's official Bird on December 17, 1987 and it was voted as the most popular bird by the people of British Columbia. The Stellar's Jay can be found through out the Province and is distinguishable by it's vibrant blue and black colors as well as it's Cheeky, smart and lively personality. 

Here I am posing with a Stellar's Jay at the Osoyoos Desert Centre. At the desert centre a variety of Birds can be seen as well as several other animals.

Provincial Coat of Arms

This is my hand drawing and own interpretation of the Provincial Coat of Arms. The Shield of British Columbia was originally granted by King Edward VII in 1906 with the remaining elements granted by Queen Elizabeth II on October 15, 1987. 

As you can see at the top is the Royal Crest which is a the crowned lion who is wearing a collar of Dogwood flowers, is sitting on of a Golden crown that is perched on top of the golden helmet of Sovereignty. 

Below the lion is the shield which is a duplicate of the Provincial Flag with the Union Jack representing our colonial origins and the blue and Silver wavy lines our geographic location between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. 

Supporting the shield are a Stag and a Ram and each represent the former colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. 

Traditional Heraldic elements are woven into the Coat of Arms through a wreath and mantling which are in Canada's Traditional Colors. Lastly at the bottom of the shield are several dogwoods intertwined with the Latin Motto Splendour Sine Occasu which means Splendor without Diminishment. 

Provincial Gemstone ~ Jade

Jade became an official BC Emblem in 1968. The gemstone consists of mostly nephrite and is mined in many parts of the Province.  British Columbia Jade is prized by Carvers of Fine Jewelry and sculptures. It is of particular value in the Orient. 

Here is a Picture of a Jade Bracelet my Grandparents gave me to the left and a Picture of an actual Jade Gemstone to the left. 

Provincial Fish~Pacific Salmon 

Did you know that the most recent Provincial Symbol was introduced in March of 2013  and it is the Pacific Salmon. The designation of Pacific Salmon as the BC Provincial Fish also includes salmon subspecies of Sockeye, Chinook, Coho, Pink and Chum salmon. As well as  the inclusion of the Steelhead and Cutthroat Trout.To the left is a picture from when I tried some dried salmon that was caught here in Osoyoos To the right is a photo of a BC Salmon. 

Provincial Mammal~Spirit Bear 

In April of 2006 the Spirit Bear (Also called the Kermode Bear) was added to the list of Official BC Symbols. The Spirit Bear is not in fact albino but a Black bear that has white fur due to a rare genetic condition. The greatest concentration of Spirit Bears can be found on the Central and North Coast of British Columbia. Here is a photo of the Bear to the right and a picture of my "White Spirit bear" to the left 

British Columbia's Provincial Tartan 

Here is my Drawing and interpretation of the Provincial Tartan as well as a picture of what it actually looks like. 

The Provincial Tartan was adopted in 1974 and incorporates Five Distinct Colors in the design, with each one having it's own significance. 

BLUE represents the Ocean 

White represents the Dogwood 

Green symbolizes the Forests 

Red is for the Maple leaf 

Gold represents both the Crown and the sun on the BC Shield and the Provincial Flag. 

 Provincial Tree ~ Western Red Cedar 

The Western Red Cedar became the official Tree for BC on February 18, 1988. 

 Historically this evergreen tree has played a key role in the lives of West coast Aboriginal people. Side note I did not take the picture for this 

Legislative Assembly 

The legislative Assembly is found in the Capital of British Columbia which is Victoria and is located on Vancouver Island. Fear not if you aren't able to see the Legislative Assembly in person because there is a fabulous website  where you can take a virtual tour. Not to mention it is the place where you can find Historical References and informational Resources regarding British Columbia. You can also read Assembly Debates or view Archived legislative proceedings on Hansard Television.  It is also the place where you can access Current Bills as well as any revised statutes. 

https://www.leg.bc.ca/

British Columbia Geography 

Here you can witness some more of my fascinating hand drawings with my drawing of the Provincial Outline of BC.   

BC is Canada's western most Province and is located between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. 

The Province is divided up into 7 geographical Regions including Northern BC, the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains, The Thompson Okanagan and the Kootenay Rockies. 

The Capital City of British Columbia is Victoria which is located on Vancouver Island. The First Capital of the Province was New Westminster with it's designation having happened in 1859. 

New Westminster continues to carry this historical honor with it today through it's two different City Mottos which are "The Royal City" and the "First Capital of Canada."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The Province shares a border with 3 American states to the south including Idaho, Montana and Washington which is the state next to the local Osoyoos Border crossing. 

To the east is the Province of Alberta. 

Where as you can visit the Northwest and Yukon Territories to the North and If you continue to head Northwest of BC you will eventually find Alaska.

Did you know that British Columbia is Canada's western most Province and joined Confederation in 1871 with a population today of 4.62 Million people . Our current premier is Christy Clark who is the leader of the BC liberal party. She is British Columbia’s second female premier and 35th over all having been sworn into office in 2011. Our current Lieutenant Governor is the honorable Judith Guichon having been the 29th Lieutenant Governor of BC having been sworn in on November 2nd, 2012. The position of Lieutenant Governor simply means the acting Representative of Queen Elizabeth II within the Province of British Columbia. 

British Columbia's Provincial Coat of Arms

British Columbia's Coat of Arms

Firstly this is a picture I drew myself  of the Provincial Coat of Arms so forgive me for my not so great Artistic skills. 

The first BC Coat of Arms was approved in 1906 by King Edward VII with this present version approved by Queen Elizabeth II on October 15th, 1987. 

The Coat of Arms has several important  elements of BC incorporated into it.

At the top of the shield is the royal crest which is a crowned lion who wears a collar of Dogwood Flowers which are the Provincial Flower and it stands upon a Golden Helmet of Sovereignty.
It is interesting to note that Supporting the shield is a stag and a ram who represent the former colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia.

Within the shield is a variation of the BC Provincial Flag which I also drew by hand.

As you can see at the top there is a Union Jack and symbolizes our Colonial origins. It is nearly identical to the British Flag with the exception of a crown in the middle.

Below that are wavy Blue and Silver lines which represent our Geographic Location between the Pacific Ocean and the Rock Mountains with a setting sun sitting at the bottom. The setting sun can be viewed as a representation of our position as Canada's Western most Province. Or it can also been seen as symbolic interpretation of the phrase "The sun never sets... on the British Empire."

The sun could also be a reflection of the British Columbia Latin Motto which is Splendour Sine Occasu and translates to Splendor Without Diminishment. The Provincial Latin Motto is represented at the bottom of the coat of Arms seen surrounded by more Dogwood Flowers.


Also seen within British Columbia's Coat of Arms is traditional heraldic elements of a wreath and mantling in Canada's Colors.



When BC first joined confederation in 1871 the Province used a variation of the Royal Crest incorporating the letters BC into the design.  The use of the royal crest through out the Common wealth nations of the Royal British Empire.

It took awhile for British Columbia to identify with any kind of Provincial Coat of Arms. In the 1890's Canon Arthur Beanlands from Victoria set out to encourage the Province to adopt an official coat of Arms and even designed his own idea of what it should look like.

In 1906 King Edward VI granted British Columbia it's first Coat of Arms and it has since gone through several different changes.


Did you know that today there are a few different official versions of the British Columbia Coat of Arms. The honorable Judith Guichon was sworn in as British Columbia's 29th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia back on November 2nd, 2012.

Lastly here is the great seal of British Columbia which is fairly similar to the Provincial Coat of Arms. 

Snakes Alive Show at Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre during Meadowlark Festival

Snakes Alive Featuring a Rattlesnake 

During May 14th and May 18th the annual Meadowlark Nature Festival took place through out the Okanagan Valley from Kelowna all the way to Keremeos. During these 5 days, 75 events took place through out the valley ranging from Nature Hikes, Guided tours, seminars and workshops as well as a Gala. Events ran Morning, Afternoons and evenings with ticket prices ranging from Free Admission to $70 [Gala.] I would say on average the events cost between $20-$25. 

Osoyoos played host to 9 events taking during the morning and afternoons. I attended 2 of these events on Sunday May 17th, both of which took place at the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre. The first event I attended started at 10:30 a.m and was called Snakes Alive! Snakes of the South Okanagan - Tour 63, with tickets costing only $5.00. Which to me is insanely cheap for a lecture based event. 

Anyway During the morning we learned all about Snakes that are located within the South Okanagan region of BC. 

The South Okanagan is widely considered as Snake Territory & habitat. Did you know that the South okanagan is home to Seven different kinds of Snakes? The Garter Snake, the Racer Snake, Rubber Boa, the Night Snake, The Gopher Snake, The Racer Snake and the BC Western Rattle Snake. However the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre is also home to a Sonoran Albino Gopher snake. 

The Sonoran Albino Gopher snake

Many of the Snakes who call the South Okanagan Home are Endangered or considered Snakes of Concern. Two examples are the Racer Snakes which are heat tolerant and considered blue listed or of special concern. Where as the Night Snake is the rarest snake in All of Canada, with only a 100 known observations in the South Okanagan and is classified as Threatened and Endangered.  The Rubber Boa is the only kind of Boa Constrictor Snake in Canada.

One of the more common snakes in BC is the Gopher Snake which also happens to be the longest snake in BC.
The Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre is home to a Gopher snake. Also interesting fact Gopher Snakes are fairly similar looking to Rattle Snakes & Can even go so far as to be similar sounding. Gopher snakes can hiss like Rattlesnakes create a Buzzing/Rattle sound via hitting it's tail against the ground which creates a similar Rattle Sound without the actual rattle.

Rattlesnakes in BC

BC Western Rattlesnakes are the only venomous snakes in the Province. One of the quick and distintictive ways to tell a venomous snake from a Non Venmous snake is by the heads including the eyes. 

Non Venomous Snakes typically have circular eyes versus the Cat Eye like feature of the venomous snakes. Also Rattle snakes have diamond shaped heads with a distinctive neck. 

Rattle snakes have heat sensing  pits in their heads to allow them to get heat readings of prey. They also have black tongues. 

When a Rattlesnake is born it starts off with a Pre Button which eventually morphs into It's Rattle ending tail. Each time they shed new the buttons continue to form to create the Finely pieced together Rattle Which is actually hollow and creates the iconic sound via rapidly vibrating tails. Now not all Rattlesnakes have rattles. 

Did you know that Rattlesnakes Are typically Loner Snakes who tend to be Timid  as well as quiet snakes with secretive and cryptic behaviors. Rattle Snakes also tend to be lazy snakes who prefer to stay stationary in one spot as opposed to being active movers. They also tend to be quite habitual and when possible would rather stay still and remain in the same place versus  wasting energy to move. 

Now Rattlesnakes prefer not to have to attack you hence it's warning signals. If threatened the Rattlesnake can lunge half their size. Rattlesnakes also prefer not to waste their venom as it's consuming to make, energy wise. So sometimes when they bite people, they do what's called a Dry Bite without injecting venom. However when they do attack if they for some reason lose their fangs, they have the ability to have another pair drop down into place immediately. 

A Rattlesnake's Venom attacks the red blood cells. The venom has a much quicker impact on Animals than humans. When a rattlesnake bites & injects a Mouse with venom, the mouses's body rapidly breaks down on the inside. After 5 minutes the Insides [Guts] of the Mouse have turned into goo, making his body more pliable & easier to digest.  

Did you know that more people die from Bee Stings per year  than they do Snake bites? Now if you happen to be bit by a Rattlesnake don't panic as boosts in adrenaline will only speed up the venom. Fear not for Anti Venom is available in Oliver and Penticton. First things first Call for help ASAP [This is why you need to use the buddy system] and get to the hospital as fast as you can.  It's highly recommended that you get to a Hospital within 2 hours, however you have a 6-8 Grace period. First remove all restrictive clothing & accessories surrounding the bite such as Shoes, pants, watches, socks etc. If you can draw a circle around the bite & mark it every half hour.

 

This is to monitor the swelling and if it's able to be done prior to you getting to the hospital, it can speed up your treatment time. 

If bittten Absolutely DO NOT Suck out the Poison yourself [Ick blood transmitted diseases] OR Make a Tourniquet!!!! This will only lead to much high health risks for the person who has been bitten.  

Snake Facts 

One of the things that has further endangered Snakes is loss of natural habitat and because of this Snakes have become communal Denners during Hibernation such as Gophers with the Rattle Snakes. This is totally due to lack of available space for Snake dens. In a Snake Den there can be anywhere from 15 to 20 snakes however numbers can grow as High to 300 to 400 snakes in a den.

Due to the unusually warm March this year [2015] The Snakes ended their hibernation a bit early and started to reappear. Where as they usually hibernate between October and November straight through April or even May. With the snakes starting their return journey to their Winter dens through out September & October. Snakes can travel anywhere from 0mm to 1k.m in a Day if needed. The Rattlesnakes who make Osoyoos their home are often restricted to movement dur to Lake Osoyoos.


During Breeding time Garter Snakes can gather up to the thousands creating a Phenomenon known as Explosive breeding. A Gopher snake simply lays its eggs. Where as Rattlesnakes have live Births and A Mother can produce an Average of 4-6 babies but this number can be as high as 12. There is no parental care between a Mother Rattle Snake & It's off spring. After giving Birth a Rattle Snake will head back to it's den and the babies will simply follow her. Baby Rattle snakes have a morality rate between 10-30% and their Survival Rate is determined by it's first Winter & First Foraging season. However Baby rattle snakes are the most venomous because they are unable to control their venom. Rattle snakes take 7 years to fully mature enough to reproduce.

As for Diet  snakes tend to be limited by what they can fit into their mouths. Typically Snakes eat Small mammals and get their water sources directly from the food. Now Cannibalism albeit rare in the wild has been noticed in Captivity. Rattlesnakes have been known to adopt canabilism in the Wild & Gopher snakes have been known to eat small rattlesnakes.



When Snakes shed they tend to become dull in color and their irises tend to turn Blue. This is because while snakes shed they become temporarily blind because snakes even shed their eyes! The Shedding Process can take anywhere from 1-2 days to 1-2 weeks. Over time as snakes Age they become dull in color. This can be one simplistic way to gauge how old a snake is, as it is other wise impossible to determine exact ages of a snake.

Research

The Nk'Mip Snake research program was started in 2002 and is entering it's 15th year. The Snake research Program has become the largest Snake Research group in British Columbia. The Research team catches snakes, take measurements such as Weight/length, Tag them with Pit Tags, assign the snake a serial code number [for life] and release them back into the wild. Through out the years over 1000 snakes have been tagged with 10 currently in active tag zone. 

The Pit Tags are smaller than a grain of rice and are inserted into the snake via an injection. Once a Snake has been tagged, it's PIT tag remains with the snake for life. So once a Researcher has a previously tagged snake, they can simply scan them to easily identify a snake. [ Ex Tracking map] 

Final Notes 

Please do not purchase a Snake as a pet. Snakes can live anywhere from 25 to 50 years and possibly even older. Secondly respect the fact that the Okanagan is Snake Territory. Use walking sticks whilst walking, make use of proper Hiking gear such as Hiking boots, and always examine areas where snakes might be before you approach them i.e step over/around or walk under or ontop of certain places snakes might like to rest. 

I thoroughly enjoyed attending this Meadowlark Event and learned so much about Snakes and in particular Snakes that call the South Okanagan Home. I can't wait to plan my next visit to the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre.