How to get a Scare at Galveston Island State Park!
Galvaston Island State Park is a place to hike and see all kinds of bird, take your canoe for a spin, or even camp! But for me it was time for me to turn tail and hike back the way that I came. I saw a snake that with a pink head. I am not sure how it had a pink head as I have never seen a snake with a pink head. I am not even sure it was a real snake! But the snack was on the side of the trail and it’s head was the color of a Flamingo!
I don’t even have a picture and I did not stay long enough to take it’s picture. I wonder if it got into the Flamingo food because I have never seen a snake that looked like it. I even saw if but keep walking because the pink did not register with me. Thankfully, I friendly gentleman saw it as well and we both tailgated it back the way we came.
One of the things with being out in the wild is that you are in someone else home. If you are around places that have mice, turtles, rabbits, fish, earthworms, goats, birds, lizards, eggs, other snakes, etc; then you have snakes around. Snakes are carnivores and they are not to picky about what they eat! Thankfully, in the US, we don’t have a lot of snakes that are big enough to swallow a human whole which keeps humans off their hunting list but they can and do bit humans that corner them.
But even with the PINK FLAMINGO HEADED SNAKE, I had a blast hiking around the park! Olive Oil, not so much! She was not in the mood for my super hike mood when one of the areas had rocks that where a bit hard on her feet. The poor baby! But she was a trooper. After being carried over them, just a nasty look and she was good to go!
The park has several trails with great viewing areas for bird lovers as well as other coastal animals. Plus you can see the ocean in the background! But the Beach area with camping was off limits when I visited due to repair work that they were doing!
But one of the hiking areas that I enjoyed the most was Duck Lake Trail which is short trail but had seating and birds to watch! It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon after visiting the City of Galveston and all it had to offer!
The whole place was just beautiful. I was here in December but I hope to go back several times as it has so much to offer. In addition, it is next to the city of Galveston and about an hour from Houston.
Don’t forget to take a moment of silence at the Eskimo Curlew Sculpture. The Eskimo Curlew is lost to the world from overhunting and loss of habitat. Conservation in the 1960’s was able to bring back the Whooping Crane. The Long-billed Curlew can be found at the park. But nothing will replace what is lost to us.
Facts about Snake Bites!
After looking on several different websites, I found that over 2.7 million people each year are bite by snakes with World Health Organization (WHO) claiming that between 81,000 to 138,000 people are killed each year and with three times that many victims being left with permanent disabilities due to lack of education and antivenins available in many countries.
Thankfully, in the United States, according to the CDC, only about 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten and only about 5 of those die but several other do have issues after being bite. But that is no reason not to go hiking. Or you can try hiking in Hawaii, Alaska, or Rhode Island! These three state don’t have the any venomous snakes!