Hunting in freshwater is relatively common across inland populations of western terrestrial #GarterSnakes 🐍 However, only a small portion of the species that is found along the Pacific Northwest coastline seems to thrive on saltwater fish that live in intertidal kelp beds and reliable information and evidence about this little-known behavior is currently lacking. “I spent days on a small gulf island in British Columbia watching garter snakes meander down the beach, swim through kelp beds, hold their breath for minutes at a time, and even witnessed the occasional successful hunt. These snakes take on a surprisingly confident and poised persona while in the water, which allowed me to get closer than I had previously thought possible from many fleeting encounters on land. Using a wide-angle macro lens was key in achieving my vision of transporting the viewer into the snake’s world.” 📸 + 💭: itsryanwilkes #DiscoveryCollab #BlackHistoryMonth #wildlifephotography