PAINTED POST, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) Even Indiana Jones wouldn’t want to walk into the auto shop in Painted Post where a timber rattlesnake was found last month.

On July 9, 2023, one environmental conservation officer received a report of a large snake in an auto shop, identified the timber rattlesnake and responded to the sighting along with another member of the DEC Law Enforcement’s Wildlife Response Team where they captured the snake and set it free on nearby state land.

The venomous snake is rarely seen in New York today, but they are native to the state according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. These snakes, which are found in small, localized areas are a threatened species and are protected by law.

For more information on the timber rattlesnake, be sure to visit the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation website.