BURNABY, British Columbia -- More than 500 snakes considered one Canadian construction site home until they were captured this week.
Construction workers stumbled upon the snakes den while digging under the rocks to re-enforce a dyke.
Experts said the snakes had been hibernating waiting for warmer weather.
They were taken to a Wildlife Rescue Centre in Vancouver, where workers counted them up and were surprised by the number.
"I came over here and buckets and buckets and Rubbermaids full of 350 different snakes later in the day we got 150 more we have 518 altogether right now,” said Janelle Vanderbeek, with the Wildlife Rescue Association Of BC.
The snakes ranged from three to four inches, to three feet long. A dozen or more were injured from the construction work.
They are being slowly nursed back to health with medicine and tape.
