Contrary to what many of us might think, snakes are good swimmers and often take to lakes and Bays.............You can watch a video below of an Eastern Diamondback Rattler attempting to board a boat in the Florida Keys...........Scared the "bejesus" out of the vacationers on-board...............Why do Rattle Snakes "go for a swim?...........""They could be escaping a predator"............ "They could be looking for a mate"......... "They could be going to new habitat"........... "They could just be out cooling itself off when it's 100 degrees out"..........And while frightening, biologists reiterate that "when you see a snake in the water and it's moving somewhere, it's not interested in attacking you"

Click the link below to view video of eastern diamondback rattlesnake trying to board a boat in the Florida Keyes

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.insideedition.com/5-foot-long-rattlesnake-seen-swimming-toward-fishermans-boat-40380&ct=ga&cd=CAEYASoTOTY2MTU3Mzc2NjY2NTQ0NjAyMjIaYWJiMmMxNTM2YWY2YWQ1Mzpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AFQjCNFaUaHgh1Zjx2VV6uAFYvAwq_Du8A

5-Foot-Long Rattlesnake Seen Swimming Toward Fisherman's Boat

February 4, 2018

ust when you thought it was safe to go back into the water, a Florida boater's catch of the day nearly included a rattlesnake.

Captain Ted Wilson, a fishing guide in Islamorada, was on a fishing trip with a small group of tourists when they spotted a five-foot-long rattlesnake slithering over the water.

“You can clearly see the big diamonds on his back, so it was a big Eastern diamondback rattlesnake. You can see its rattles and the big viper head,” Wilson told InsideEdition.com. “When it started heading right at us — that really got our attention.”

He explained that they were just finishing up their trip when they spotted the snake in the water. Wilson speculated it had been swimming between islands, and began slithering toward their boat when it noticed the closer landing spot.

“We were all kind of looking at it and freaking out a little bit at what we were seeing, and then it started coming at us,” Wilson recalled. “I didn’t need a five-foot-long rattlesnake coming home with us, that’s when I said, ‘Bye bye, snake,’ and we motored on out of there.”

Thankfully, their boat was far enough from the rattlesnake that the group was able to get away safely.

“In 25 years, I’ve maybe seen two snakes and they’ve been benign,” Wilson said.

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http://www.azfamily.com/story/35580073/snakes-in-lakes-not-so-unusual-according-to-az-game-and-fish

Snakes in lakes not so unusual according to ARIZONA Game and Fish

Posted: Jun 02, 2017
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -

Video of a rattlesnake swimming in Lake Pleasant is getting a lot of attention, but the Arizona Game and Fish Department says snakes in water are not unusual.

"I know it comes as a surprise to some people, but snakes swim, they actually swim very well," said Game and Fish Wildlife Education Program Manager Mike Demlong.

[RELATED: Caught on camera: Rattlesnake swimming in water at Lake Pleasant]

In fact, he said some snakes are aquatic, like garter snakes, meaning they spend most of their time in or around water.

"Others, like rattlesnakes, just occasionally will get in the water, but there are many varieties, many species that will go into the water," said Demlong.

As for why the non-aquatic snakes take a dip? Well, Demlong says it could be for any number of reasons.

"It could be escaping a predator. It could be looking for a mate. It could be going to new habitat. It could just be out cooling itself off when it's 100 degrees out," he said.

Now that it is warmer, there's a more of a chance to encounter a swimming snake anywhere in the state.

So, while it's not uncommon for snakes to hang out in the water, Demlong says capturing the action on camera doesn't happen often.

"It's just kind of a lucky moment. That's the day you buy a lottery ticket if you get to see a snake in the water," said Demlong.

He did stress that snakes, no matter the species, don't pose any real threat in our waterways as long as you leave them alone.

"When you see a snake in the water and it's moving somewhere, it's not interested in attacking you," he said.

As a department, Demlong says rattlesnakes in the water is not what they're worried about.

"What we're worried about is people not wearing their flotation devices when they're in the water or drinking, or doing things they shouldn't do in the water. That's where the risk is," he said.