Community Corner

Outbreak of Copperhead Sightings Hits West End

Director Mark Kelly of the Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center calls number of sightings 'extremely unusual.'

West End Alexandria residents have reported four copperhead snake sightings in recent months, including one incident in which a copperhead bit a dog at Dora Kelley Nature Park.

The owner was walking the medium-sized dog at dusk last week on a paved trail in the park when it suddenly fell down and began howling and moaning, said Director Mark Kelly of the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center on Sanger Avenue. The owner took the dog to a local veterinarian, who shaved the dog’s paw and found two puncture wounds indicative of a copperhead bite.

The dog was treated, kept overnight and has since recovered. Copperhead bites, while poisonous, are usually not fatal to adults but are more dangerous for children and small pets, Kelly said.

Find out what's happening in West End Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In the past six months, the center has received reports of three additional copperhead sightings, Kelly said.

“That’s extremely unusual,” he said. “I’ve worked here for 23 years, and we only had one sighting that was five or six years ago, and now this year, we’ve had four sightings and one bite.”

Find out what's happening in West End Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The first sighting occurred upstream of Dora Kelley by Holmes Run. Another copperhead was seen near Seminary Road, and a third was found just outside Dora Kelly by Holmes Run, Kelly said.

Copperheads are native to the area but have been pushed out largely due to development and pets. They do their hunting on warmer nights and will go to their dens — called hibernacula — to sleep when winter arrives. They are coppery-colored with bow-tie-shaped markings all the way down their backs, interspersed with lighter-colored brown.

Kelly urged local residents not to harass or kill copperheads because they play an important role in helping control the rodent population. To prevent coming across the snake, people should stay on paved trails during daylight hours and use a walking stick to clear their way if walking through underbrush.

“Basically, leave it alone,” he said. “This is their natural area for them to be in.” 

Kelly asked anyone who spots the snake to report the sighting to the nature center at 703-746-5525. Local residents can also call the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, which contracts with the city for animal control services, at 703-746-4774.

Kelly said seven additional species of snakes live in Dora Kelley. Those snakes are non-poisonous.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from West End Alexandria