Georgia Wildlife Resources Division
2070 U.S. Hwy. 278, SE, Social Circle, GA 30025
"Is it a water moccasin?"
Many people ask this question when they see a snake in the water. Unfortunately, people often assume all snakes in the water are water moccasins and kill them "just in case."
Snakes are among the most misunderstood and mistreated animals on earth. Some species of snakes, including the water moccasin - also known as the cottonmounth - are venomous, and therefore potentially dangerous. However, of the 43 snake species native to Georgia and South Carolina, only six are venomous. Among the 37 harmless non-venomous snakes, five species of water snakes are often unfortunate victims of mistaken identity.
Click here  to view the "Is It A Water Moccasin" brochure, produced with The University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. This brochure highlights the differences between water snakes (non-venomous) and water moccasins, with the hope that familiarity with these snakes will prevent further unnecessary killing of non-venomous snakes (which is illegal in Georgia) in Georgia and South Carolina.
DNR's "Venomous Snakes of Georgia" brochure is also available. PDFs of the tri-fold publication are posted in high resolution  (4.4MB), low resolution  (2.1MB) and this version  for printing on both sides of two pages.