If it was me, I would try to net it if I saw it again and bring it to another water source. I really don't know of any ways to defend against snakes however there are a lot of clever people on this forum. Maybe they could suggest something. If your pond is the only water source in the area, I would doubt he would leave. Good luck, -Mike

It was probably some type of mammal that caused your large koi to go missing. It could have been a heron or there is a slight chance they were eaten by a water snake if you live near water. Only water snakes and garter snakes would go after fish. There's probably at least 4 species of nonvenemous water snakes in GA plus the water mocassin. They're much better at catching frogs than healthy good size fish. A her0n though would have no problem.

Even more disturbing is that there are "professional" snake removal "experts" who recommend and use these awful traps as a "humane" alternative to killing snakes! What's humane about what you see above, please tell me? Even if the snake is found and released, a tedious process involving pouring oil all over the animal and waiting for it to break the connection of the glue, very often the snake has already been injured internally if not visibly, and now it's nostrils are clogged with thick oil. Its release usually just means it will go off and die elsewhere. Due to their metabolism, reptiles die much more slowly and feel pain for a longer period of time than a mammal or bird exposed to the same sort of abuse. No animal, not even a pest rodent species, deserves this kind of torture.

The only venomous species up that far are the Timber Rattlesnake and Massasauga. It certainly isn't a Massasauga and it doesn't look right for the pattern of a Timber Rattlesnake. Both of those species are restricted to the very SE corner of the state and the Massasauga may be extirpated. Actually, the snake it looks most like to me based on pattern and body morph is an African Puff Adder which doesn't occur in North America. Are you 100% sure of the photo origin (i.e. did you take it)? Lots of photos get passed around the internet with dubious or deliberately changed locations.