How many pit viper species of venomous (toxic) snakes live in Canada?

Canada is home to three pit viper species of venomous (toxic) snakes. They include: the western rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus), eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus), and the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis).

With these venomous snakes, they use a toxin that is injected into a person's skin via fangs. Their toxin cannot be absorbed through the skin. Other kinds of poisons that don't come from these snakes can be readily absorbed through an individual's skin, so injection is not needed. To attack their prey, the pit viper snakes in Canada and other countries must use their fangs when attacking.

In Canada, the western rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) is found in central British Columbia in the Thompson Okanagan region. The eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) lives in the Georgian Bay region of Ontario, and the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) can be found in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta.

As in many countries, the people of Canada always say, "We treat venomous snakes (vipers) in our country with caution and a great deal of respect. There have been only three reported deaths from rattlesnake bites in Canada in the last several decades. "As Canadians, we have taken the time to learn about the risk of exposure to venomous snakes, how we can prevent and protect ourselves from snake bites, and what we should do if we are bitten."