Al the garter snake found a comfortable spot on Doug LeQuire’s shoulder and seemed to eye the audience with interest. And the audience eyed him back.

Al is no ordinary garter snake. An albino, his skin is pure white and his trademark red eyes shine like rubies. Al was definitely the hit of Goose Creek State Park’s Snakes Alive educational program, held Jan. 31.

“Al was donated to the park; I don’t think it was a wild snake, but it was a rescue snake that was attacked by a cat and beat up pretty bad (with) lots of holes,” said LeQuire, park superintendent. “It was rescued and nursed back to health, then given to the park to complete its rehabilitation.”

Unlike with other reptiles, there was no thought of releasing Al in the park.

“As it is albino, the park would never put it back out as it would not last very long in the wild,” LeQuire said. “Snakes are on the menu too; not only are they predators, but they become prey if they are not careful.”

So Al’s story has a happy ending. The snake has a comfortable home in a ranger’s office and is only occasionally brought out for public programs.

During the most recent of such programs, LeQuire told the 40 or so park visitors gathered that eastern North Carolina is home to 31 individual species of snakes. Only four of them are venomous; in Goose Creek State Park, venomous copperheads, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes can be found.

Only nonvenomous specimens were featured in the program, however, including Al and his ranger office companion, Charlie the corn snake. Because of his temperament, Charlie usually remains in his glass home where visitors may peer at him.

Al was so popular, and well behaved, during the program that one young visitor asked if the unusual snake was up for adoption.

For anyone not especially fond of snakes, Goose Creek State Park offers a variety of other programs on a regular basis.

“There are free programs available to the public every weekend at the park,” LeQuire noted. “You can contact the park or go to our website for more information.

Topics of upcoming programs include nature hikes, forestry, owls, black bears and ticks, chiggers and mosquitoes.

For details about these and other programs, call 252-923-2191 or visit www.ncparks.gov.