A viral post has been circulating throughout Southwest Michigan claiming venomous snakes are on the loose in Battle Creek.

Now, the city is aiming to set the record straight and clear the air!

As of this writing there are several posters that claim to have seen the snakes, but it appears the original post that sparked concerns came from Kallie McCarty, who posted the following message on Facebook late Tuesday night:

...my mom called me tonight to tell me I should avoid taking my son to Bailey park because a man had an insane amount of poisonous snakes he was gonna sell on the black web and the cops found out and he released them around that area hoping the cops wouldn’t catch him and a little girl was actually bite and is in critical condition fighting for her life rn so if you live in that area or take your kids to the park just be extra cautious!!

This is definitely worrisome news that would typically be cause for concern-- if it were in fact true. However, the City of Battle Creek says it is not.

City Clears Confusion

This coming straight from the source, the City of Battle Creek says it's simply not true! In an effort to stop the spread of misinformation the city has responded with the following:

We've been hearing a story about snakes in Bailey Park, and we need you to know that no one has released venomous or poisonous snakes at the park. It's just not true! Bailey Park DOES have wooded areas, and sits along the beautiful Battle Creek River, so it's possible you could see a native snake there...We invite you to visit and enjoy the park throughout the spring and summertime!

Snakes in Michigan

It might ease your fears to know that of the 18 different species of snakes in Michigan, only one is considered venomous: the eastern massasauga rattlesnake.

There, do you feel better now?

Snakes of Michigan

Most Deadly/Dangerous Animals In Michigan

If you see any of these animals... best to just walk away.