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Lake Erie Water Snake

Lake Erie Water Snake line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Lake Erie Water Snake full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The Lake Erie Water Snake was completed on 6.30.2011. The drawing was commissioned by a private client in anticipation of this sub-species of the Northern Water Snake being removed from endangered species list, after a stabilization of reptiles population in the wild. Snakes are always a trick subject for me, as the scaling pattern can be very difficult to render, and if there is a mistake it is easy to pick out. The drawing is based on a photo by Andrew Hoffman.

Information about the Lake Erie Water Snake:

The Lake Erie Water Snake is a sub-species of the Northern Water Snake. The snake is non-venomous and active both during the day and night. They are skilled hunters, and can take prey on land such as frogs or salamanders, and also can catch submerged prey like fish and small crustaceans. They will also eat small birds and mammals. The Lake Erie Water Snake was once endangered, but in an ironic twist the introduction of the Round Goby in it's ecosystem has provided the food needed for this reptile's numbers to rebound. The exotic fish now provides up to 90% of the snake's diet.