Monday's Species in Peril

Since this blog was created to provide education to our readers about the plight of Herps. throughout the World, I thought it only appropriate that we dedicate one day a week to an Amphibian or Reptile that is classified as threatened, endangered or extinct in the wild. Unfortunately there will be plenty to choose from. Many of us do not think of Herps. when we think of endangered animals, instead our thoughts turn to animals such as Bald Eagles, Manatees or Tigers. Each of these animals are facing challenges to be sure, but because of their over all human appeal they have a dedicated following of people trying to help their plight. Herps. on the other hand are often overlooked by the average person. I cannot tell you how many times I've heard people make comments like "the only good snake is a dead snake" or another "I wish all snakes were dead." What these people do not realize or seem to care about, is that these snakes that they fear or hate so much are an important component in their varied habitats. Snakes are excellent at controlling over population of rodents, and they are also an important food source for many predators. Frogs are often over looked as anything more than just a cute little inhabitant of pond and lakes. The truth is, frogs are an indicator of the over all health of an ecosystem. Scientist often rely on frogs to help them solve any number of environmental mystery's concerning pollution and other contaminants. We need to change our attitudes about these often misunderstood and overlooked creatures. We should respect their role in the environment and do our best to understand and tolerate their presence.

Today's first featured species in peril is the Kihansi Spray Toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis) which was found and first described in 1998 and subsequently declared extinct 14 short years later in 2012.

This tiny toad has been declared extinct in the wild on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This species had a very limited and specific habitat in the spray runoff and nearby wetland of  Kihansi Falls in the Kihansi Gorge in the Udzungwa Mountains of eastern Tanzania. With approximately a 5 acre area to inhabit it was very restricted and became victim to habitat loss and destruction. This often happens to animals with very specified habitat needs. They do not have the ability to readily adapt to a new or altered environment and often become critically endangered or in the case of this little toad they become a thing of the past in the wild. At one point in time this toad had as many as 17,000-20,000 individuals in its 5 acre range. These toads are truly small at only 3/4 of an inch as adults. This species has no tadpole stage, instead the female gives birth to 3-15 tiny toadlets. They will gain the adult coloring as they age, but otherwise look almost identical to their adult counterparts.

Animals with reduced habitats often fall victim to parasites, diseases or other health related issues. If these diseases are brought into a given environment, a species that is as fragile as a toad would stand very little chance of having adequate resources to fight it. This toad was exposed to a fungal disease called chytridiomycosis which is known to affect at least 30% of the amphibian species worldwide. In the wild this fungus cannot be controlled and often wipes out a 100% of a frog or toad population in a given area. Then in the year 2000 a dam was built on the Kihansi river which reduced water flow by 90% to the gorge where this toad is native. These frogs rely on the spray given off by the water falls of this area, with the building of the dam and the resulting  flow restriction of the river, the falls no longer create significant spray. This affects the vegetation around the falls which in turn affects the toad. This little toad was dealt a double whammy with the loss of habitat and a fungal disease it had no ability to fight off. The tiny 5 acre area that was home to this toad was so severely altered that the toad gave way to the challenges of a newly formed habitat. It could no longer survive in the wild. The only hope this toad has as a species is in captive breeding programs that are under way at the Toledo and New York Bronx Zoos. Educational programs are in place and the people of Tanzania are being taught proper husbandry techniques in order to rebuild a sustainable habitat for these toads with the hope of being able to begin releasing them back to their natural habitat.

Fun Fact Friday

I thought it might be fun to feature a fun fact or bit of trivia about the wonderful world of Amphibians and Reptiles. So each Friday is now Fun Fact Friday.


Your first fun fact is...................

The male Mallorcan Midwife Toad (Alytes muletensis) Carries its eggs wrapped around its hind legs. Once in awhile he will hop in the water to wet them.

If you would like to learn more about these interesting frogs visit Mallorcan Midwife Toady

Round em' UP By: David Steen Ph. D.

This column ran in the papers about a month ago...

It’s that time of year again, when people congregate in a few scattered festivals across the southeastern United States to celebrate the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. Well, I guess celebrate isn’t the right word, since the snakes are eventually slaughtered. I certainly understand why people wouldn’t want rattlesnakes in their yard, but I’m not quite sure I understand the appeal in capturing snakes in the wild, far from human establishment, only to kill them. I remain unconvinced by claims that these rattlesnakes serve some greater purpose, with their venom being important for medical research. Why wouldn’t captive rattlesnakes serve the same purpose? And what companies are buying venom for research from a weekend festival in small town USA?

I concede rattlesnakes aren’t particularly loved by many and catching them for roundups isn’t illegal; unless of course, while catching rattlesnakes you deal irreparable harm to other protected creatures or their habitats. In the past, pouring gasoline down gopher tortoise burrows was a popular method of catching rattlesnakes. Groggy from the fumes, snakes leave the burrow and are easily bagged. However, any tortoises hiding within the burrow stay underground and may suffer severe lung damage. You probably know tortoises are increasingly rare, being federally protected in the western portion of their range and a candidate for listing everywhere else.

Publically, rattlesnake hunters will never acknowledge they continue to catch rattlesnakes by pouring gasoline down gopher tortoise burrows, an illegal practice. Although, an individual associated with one of the remaining roundups admitted to me the practice still occurs. But, I admit anonymous sources don’t carry a lot of weight. That’s why I recently read with interest about a few people cited for destroying wildlife habitat in Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area, in Georgia, on January 28th. These individuals admitted they were catching rattlesnakes by pouring gasoline down tortoise burrows. We can only guess as to why they were motivated to capture these snakes or what they had in mind for them. But, in any case, this should be clear and unequivocal evidence that people are still pouring gasoline down tortoise burrows in areas where we hunt, fish, and recreate.

So here we are, time for the annual rattlesnake “festivals” again. If you plan to attend, feel free, but go with full knowledge of what you’re supporting with your money. All remaining roundups in the southeast have been approached by multiple organizations and individuals eager to help them transition from events that sponsor rattlesnake capture and killing to more wildlife friendly events. Because they’re important to local communities, nobody wants these festivals shut down, but there are compromises that will help ensure the integrity of our natural habitats and wildlife. Perhaps you’ve attended Fitzgerald Georgia’s annual festival (a former roundup) or San Antonio Florida’s rattlesnake celebration, where thousands of people attend each year to see captive snakes displayed. Whether you hate rattlesnakes or love them, I think it’s time we all agree that wanton destruction of wildlife and their habitats is not something we should support.

 

David A. Steen received his Ph.D. from Auburn University, his B.S. from the State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire. He researches the ecology and conservation biology of wildlife and blogs about his work at www.LivingAlongsideWildlife.com. His copyrighted work appears here under a Creative Commons license.

Great Plains Toad

This adorable little amphibian is a Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus), they are native to Missouri but only occur in portions of the Missouri River flood plain. While Joey and I were hiking at Sunbridge Hills Conservation Area in the Bluffs of the Missouri River just on the outskirts of St. Joseph last summer I found this toad hopping around in some tall grasses. I could tell right away that his coloring and markings were different than the toads I see at home. I captured him and brought him home for a positive ID. Imagine my surprise to learn I'd found a toad that is only found in a scant few counties in Missouri. These are a medium sized species measuring up to 4 inches with the state record being 4 inches. This one measures just under 2 inches. Their coloring is highly variable and can be gray, brown, dark green, green or yellow. This one was a muted olive green color with some gray areas. Males are smaller than females, and I suspect this is a female. In Missouri this particular species has not been studied so little is known about its natural history. In other states of occurrence it is known to favor mixed grasslands and short grass prairies. It is reported to avoid forested areas, which might be refuted in Missouri as this one was definitely caught in a grassy knoll next to a forested area. Since the known habitat preference in Missouri is the Missouri River flood plain, and there are huge stands of forested areas all along the flood plain, perhaps in Missouri its habitat preference varies compared to other parts of its range.

The hopping pattern of this toad is completely different from the more common Eastern American Toad, it is much faster with longer leaps. It took quite an effort to capture this one. There is nothing awkward or slow about this species. They seem to be a little more nervous around people and prone to flee quickly..

They are excellent at burrowing into the ground and frequently do so during dry or cold spells, which in Missouri can be a large portion of the year. With the impending flood of the Missouri River many animals are being pushed to higher ground and that may be the case with this particular specimen as it was found in the bluffs of the Missouri River. In St. Joseph the Missouri River flood stage is 17 feet and we are currently at 23 feet and rising. Up north in Minnesota because of excessive rainfall their reservoir is full and they are being forced to release water, which is causing catastrophic flooding of farm ground, and low lying areas south of the dam. It is guesstimated to reach 33 feet in St. Joseph before it is over, which is a full foot higher than the record breaking flood of 1993 where 1,000's of people were displaced from their homes and billions of dollars in damages occurred, not to mention the injuries and loss to life.

The great plains toad breeds in late spring or early summer when the males begin calling. Their call has been described as sounding very much like an explosive jackhammer-like metallic trill that is deafening when heard up close. These toad breed right after heavy rainfall, which could explain why I found her out in the open, the night before we had a huge rainfall, and it probably put her in the mood for love. Females can lay large amounts of eggs, in fact specimens in Oklahoma were found to lay as many as 45,000 eggs. Males stay near the female to capture the eggs between his legs in a "basket" of sorts. Presumably this is to make sure his sperm is the one who fertilized the eggs. The eggs are then laid in long strands in shallow bodies of water. Many females may chose the same watering hole for egg laying. It takes a week for the eggs to hatch and up to a month for them to reach adult size.

The main enemy of this toad is the plains garter snake. Garter snakes are noted for eating toads and frogs. I even managed to capture a picture a few years ago of a garter snakes trying to eat an Eastern American Toad in my backyard(pictured below). These snakes hang around our goldfish pond waiting for an opportunity to capture and eat the frogs and toads.

Getting outside and exploring is sure to bring with it many cool discoveries. This toad was one of many great finds of a warm summer night.

Western Massasauga Rattlesnake

Here is a snake hovering on the brink of extinction in Missouri as well as throughout most of its range. The Western Massasauga (pronounced mass-a-saw'-ga) Rattlesnake is one of the smallest rattlesnakes found in Missouri wetlands and marshes. Because these lands are greatly reduced due primarily to agriculture, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for these snakes to carve out a niche for themselves. Squaw Creek NWR has a fairly healthy population of these snakes in large part because the land is federally owned and the snakes are protected there. Ongoing studies help to determine population density and over all health of the snakes. The one pictured here is a captive snake used as an educational animal to help promote the importance of all creatures within their given habitat. Snakes are especially important in rodent control and as a vital part of the food chain and should be left alone. They are also indicators of the health of their environment. 

In the Chippewa language Massasauga translates into "great river mouth" which describes the lands where they are found. Like all Missouri venomous snakes they are "pit-vipers" , meaning they have an extra sensory organ in the form of pits located between the eyes and the nostrils. These pits are heat sensing organs that help them locate prey. They also have excellent eye sight and a great sense of smell. All of these senses combined make for a formidable predator. They commonly prey on mice, frogs, insects. Juveniles are fond of other serpents with Midland Brown Snakes making up the bulk of their diet. These snakes are also an important part of the food chain and sometimes fall victim to eagles, herons, raccoons, foxes, and hawks. Not to mention the occasional motorist who would rather kill snakes as to look at them. This near-sighted viewpoint of snakes is what has led to the near extinction of many species. Humans should try to exercise tolerance for these misunderstood creatures and recognize their importance in the over all health of a given habitat.

These are a slow moving snakes that rarely strike unless being provoked or handled. Their venom is less toxic than that of most venomous snakes, but should still be considered dangerous. If bitten; immediate medical attention should be sought.  During the spring they will be found in lowlands near marshes and wetlands. In the hotter summer months they are found in higher ground near grasslands, farmland and open fields. Like all snakes they are often found sunning themselves on rocks, and roadways. Massasauga rattlesnakes reach lengths up to thirty inches. Their ground color is gray or tan with numerous darker spots, there are even melanistic black varieties found occasionally.

Massasaugas are ovoviviparous (eggs develop in the body of the parent and hatch within or immediately after being expelled). The female produces large, yolk-filled eggs which are retained within her reproductive tract for a considerable period of development. The developing embryo receives no nourishment from the female, only from the yolk. Eggs of the Massasauga hatch inside the female and the young are born “alive.” A female snake that retains eggs in her body can bask in the sun, thus raising the temperature of the eggs and speeding their development, resulting in a variable gestation period of two to four months. The average litter size is 8 with anywhere from 3 to 12 being possible.

After birth, the young are on their own—no maternal care is known in snakes. As is the case for all cold-blooded vertebrates, the growth of the young is heavily dependent upon the amount of food available.

The Cost of Poise and Dignity----By: David Steen Ph. D.

“She never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.” Benjamin Franklin


Driving along the rural northwestern Florida road I travel nearly every day, I suddenly caught sight of a familiar serpentine form sprawled out along the dirt shoulder. As I brought my foot down upon the brakes to bring the truck to a stop, I steeled myself to pounce on the snake before me. My adrenaline pumped as I slammed the truck into park and noticed the characteristic gold and black patterning of an eastern diamondback rattlesnake.

Almost instantly, I knew something was awry. The snake was motionless. Flustered, I noticed two additional snakes, another diamondback and a huge rat snake, the latter’s long, limp body draped along five feet of the sandy road. That the snakes were dead and mutilated was immediately apparent. Both rattlesnakes were missing their distinctive namesake; the rattles hacked from their body. All three had taken severe blows to their head; the larger rattlesnake’s head was missing altogether. They hadn’t been here for long.

Puzzled, I took in the scene of carnage before me, shaking my head in wonderment. Had these three snakes just been run over and then salvaged for souvenirs? No, coming across a large, live snake was a rare occurrence, finding three large animals in the same spot was not likely at all. As my mind progressed from shock to disgust, I realized these snakes had been killed elsewhere and then brought here to complete some sort of macabre roadside display.

Scratching my head and trying to ascertain some motive behind the bizarre find, I began loading the snakes into the bed of my truck. I figured I would try to salvage what I could from their shortened lives. I knew a researcher from Florida State University was attempting a large-scale genetic study of diamondback rattlesnakes; by comparing their genetic makeup in varying areas, he aims to determine if there are distinctive groups of these animals. The two rattlesnakes before me could represent important data; the species has become increasingly scarce over the years, making it difficult to obtain large sample sizes for research. The rat snake could be useful in my own studies, by examining its stomach contents I hope to better understand what this species eats and the role it plays in the surrounding landscape.

The first snake had barely hit the bed of my truck when a pickup rolled to a stop beside me. From within, a tattooed and shirtless man gazed at me curiously with a smile. I knew immediately that this was the man who had killed the snakes. In a valiant attempt to disguise the distaste I felt, I asked if he knew anything about them.

“A little bit.” He replied with a brief nervous chuckle.

“She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage.” Benjamin Franklin

I assured him that killing these snakes was not illegal, so he wouldn’t be in trouble if he wanted to discuss it with me. Wearing my best poker face, I informed him I was simply interested in these animals and curious where they had come from.

So began a familiar story. The rattlesnakes had apparently been wandering through his backyard and his children were saved in the nick of time by a few well-placed bullets. Nodding solemnly, I related that I could certainly understand the desire to remove rattlesnakes from a yard where pets and children played even as I silently wondered what kind of yard he might have to attract so many reptiles. I had seen only a handful of diamondbacks all year.

“But why the rat snake? They’re harmless, a danger only to mice and rats around the house.”

Although I received no comprehensible answer, I figured my point was made. Returning to the rattlesnakes, I noted I hoped he left animals alone when he came across them in the neighboring forest.

“This sounds simple: do we not already sing our love for and obligation to the land of the free and the home of the brave? Yes, but just what and whom do we love?...Certainly not the animals, of which we have already extirpated many of the largest and most beautiful species. A land ethic of course cannot prevent the alteration, management, and use of these 'resources,' but it does affirm their right to continued existence, and, at least in spots, their continued existence in a natural state.” Aldo Leopold, in A Sand County Almanac

Tapping against the side of my work truck and squinting under the hot Florida sun, I tried to summon an aura of authority as I stressed how important snakes were to my work and my research. He seemed to respect that. “Sure, I leave them be. I don’t see them too often anyway, I don’t see them much around my place anymore either.”

I strained to sense any note of nostalgia. I often wonder if people will ever appreciate the unique wildlife of the southeastern United States before it’s too late to conserve it in any meaningful way. Rattlesnakes are an important component of southern culture; found primarily in North America, they are part of our identity. Would they be remembered as more than dangerous nuisances if they ever disappeared? Would they be missed around the campfire as men reminisced about the giants they had once killed? I wondered if he was aware of the irony of discussing a decline in rattlesnakes around his house as we sat and spoke above two of their recent corpses.

I tried to lead him on, “Why do you think that might be?”
He thought for a few moments, “Well, one year we sure got a lot of them, I killed seventeen of them, including a nine-footer in my rabbit cage.’
Being familiar with the ubiquitous penchant for exaggerating the size of dead snakes, I ignored the mention of the world’s largest rattlesnake and instead asked, “You killed seventeen rattlesnakes in your yard in one year, and you don’t see many anymore?”
He nodded.

Although he was predictably following my carefully scripted opening, it wasn’t gratifying; it only meant that even here, bordering a vast protected area, adult diamondbacks were becoming increasingly scarce. And so I began, “That makes sense. These animals,” I nodded towards the two dead rattlesnakes, later confirmed as adult females of breeding age, “take years to mature. So, if you kill many of them in an area, it will take the population years to recover, and that’s only if all the killing stops. Once they’re gone, there’s nothing to take up their niche, to eat all those rodents.”
He nodded.

I continued, “I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you my e-mail address and phone number. You can let me know if there’s a snake in your yard and I’ll come and relocate it. I’ll also send you some brochures I made that’ll give you information on how you can keep rattlesnakes away from your house in the first place”
“Got it. If I see a snake I’ll let you know. So, you’re interested in them dead or alive then?”
“No.” I said, shaking my head and smiling incredulously.
“Preferably alive then?”
“Yeah, preferably alive.”

“During an encounter with man the diamondback conducts itself with poise and dignity.” R. Mount, in The Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama.

The man slowly coasted away and the air was filled with the gritty sound of tires crushing sand. As I leaned against the truck and glanced down at the bodies of the dead snakes, desecrated and dumped unceremoniously by the roadside only moments before, I wondered if we could ever hope to emulate the dignity that Dr. Mount attributed to them in life.




  
 
    

David A. Steen received his Ph.D. from Auburn University, his M.S. from the State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire. He researches the ecology and conservation biology of wildlife and blogs about his work at www.LivingAlongsideWildlife.com. His copyrighted work appears here under a Creative Commons license.

Black Rat Snakes

Black Rat Snakes (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta), are one of my favorite snakes. They are abundant and probably one of the most commonly seen snakes in Missouri. As young they look completely different from their adult counterpart. They are grayish-tan with darker patterns.

As they age they take on their trademark glossy black coloring. The pattern fades to a somewhat reddish tint, then disappears almost entirely in older snakes. They are a rather large snake reaching lengths of up to 6 feet. They are relatively tolerant of people and tame down easily. Baby black snakes will bite and act aggressive, as is typical of most baby snakes. Seems they haven't learned what is dinner and what isn't, and bite at everything. They use that aggressiveness to defend themselves as well. I suppose if someone or something 50X larger than me grabbed me I would bite too.
Another defense mechanism they will implement is to shake their tail in dried grasses or dry leaves, this rattling sound mimics the venomous rattlesnake and may afford them some protection from predation or from being captured. Although this behavior can backfire and result in their death. Many humans are fearful of venomous snakes and are quick to kill one. If the young black snake is too convincing, it may pay with its life.

One day last summer I received a call at work from my mother, exclaiming that she couldn't get into the church where she was due at a meeting. I asked her "why not". She kind of laughed and said there was a snake sitting by the door and would not let her pass. Now you have to see the humor in this situation....a snake at church keeping members out? Hello...Adam and Eve all over again?
I told her I would be right there...I wasn't missing this for anything. I got to the church to find my mother and two other ladies standing on the sidewalk several feet away from a 4 foot long black rat snake. One of the women held a hanger (was she planning to hang it out to dry?) The situation was humorous, but these ladies were trying their best to be brave; as well as get this snake away from the church. I moved it further down the sidewalk thinking it would leave the area once it realized it wasn't welcome. Oh no....it couldn't be that easy. This snake decided to climb the wall of the church and try to enter through a dryer vent. "You've got to be kidding me!"
So I pulled him out of the dryer vent and ask if I could borrow the woman's hanger. I used the hanger to lift his head and I grabbed his tail and carried him a block away to a field of tall grasses. Hopefully he stayed put. He sure seemed determined to go to church!
I guess the congregation had a few laughs over the situation. One even suggested an exorcism of the church. The snake came on the tail end of finding a mouse and a bat in the church. Maybe a priest needs to be called?

I personally like snakes, and have six for pets that I use on a regular basis for educational programs. I find it gratifying to change peoples attitudes about these often misaligned creatures. With so much myth and mystery surrounding snakes, they are often mistakenly labeled the "bad guy" and destroyed needlessly. They are creatures to be viewed with a certain amount of awe. One game I like to play with the children at my programs is the "snake race". I ask for volunteers who wish to pretend they are a snake. After several children all excitedly come forward, I have them lay down on the floor, and place their arms and hands straight down their sides. Their legs have to be stretched out straight. In this prone position I tell them they have to race (a predetermined distance) without using their arms, hands, legs or feet. No elbows, no knees. If they use any of these appendages, they are out. The last one left that crosses the finish line wins. They get to see just how hard it would be to move like a snake. Then I tell them how snakes are specially designed with hundreds of very strong muscles, and moving like a snake is natural to them. There is much laughing and cheering every time we play this game.

We have an old stump in the back yard, which is the remnants of a large maple tree we had to cut down many years ago. The interior of this stump is made up of potting soil, and decaying pieces of the tree. It is a perfect substrate for black snakes to lay their eggs. Each year we have two adult black snakes use this stump to burying their eggs. Two years ago I dug up the eggs to count them, there were 38 eggs in total. I kept 5 eggs and incubated them in my office. All 5 hatched and we kept one juvenile snake to use as a program snake.

This past season the black snakes returned and laid eggs once again, this time 35 in total. To say we have no shortage of these snakes around our farm would be an understatement. Several years ago we discovered that the black snakes were in the basement. They would show up in March crawling in the rafters or various other places. We searched around the foundation of the house to try and locate their entrance point. We plugged several small holes, and thought we solved the problem of them entering the house. Turns out that we did not find their entrance. Each year they return. We've now discovered that they are brumating (sleeping) in a crawl space at one end of our basement that leads back underneath an addition on the house. I've found several snake skins and saw one juvenile black snake crawling on the block wall.

As a snake enthusiast I am excited by this information, my husband less so. He wants me to crawl in there and remove them. First of all, I am more scared of the crawlspace  than the snakes that are living in it. Second of all, it is mid-winter and much to cold to turn them outside. I know once spring arrives they will come out of hiding and I can take them outside then. I am not sure why the snakes chose this location 5 years ago to rest over the winter, but I can't help but feel it is because they know they are safe and will be tolerated. Thanks to these snakes that hang around our home, I have not had a mouse in the house in 6 or 7 years. I would much rather have the snakes which do not cause any problems and do not spread disease. Mice on the other hand carry many diseases that can be spread to humans, their feces and urine contaminate food. Their constant chewing destroys our stored items, whether it is papers or fabrics doesn't seem to matter to the mice when they are looking for nesting material. They have large litters and quite often. They reproduce rapidly and can be difficult to get rid of. The next time you see a snake near your property, give thanks, chances are it is feeding on the mice you might not even be aware are there.

When is it OK to kill a rattlesnake?

Many would argue that ANYTIME is a good time to kill a rattlesnake. After all they are venomous, and definitely have the potential to cause grave harm if you are bitten. It seems when it comes to snakes they have more enemies than friends, and many are willing to prematurely end the life of a snake without pause, this seems to be doubly so for the venomous variety. Why? Where does this desire to kill these creatures come from?

We know from studies that have been done that humans are not born with a fear or hatred of snakes. So how do we go from such trusting children with the capacity to love all creatures to a snake killer? Simple. It comes from our parents, grandparents and other well meaning adults in our lives trying their best to protect us from a perceived danger. They in turn inherited their fears and hatred for these creatures from their relatives.....and so on down the line.

We may also carry this fear around with us for another reason-----perhaps you were scared or startled at a early age by the behavior of a snake; i.e. one fell out of a tree and landed in your lap. This is the scenario that played out for my husbands aunt. She was a young girl helping her mother feed the farm hands. She sat down in the shade under a large tree to enjoy her lunch when...PLOP! Right into her lap fell a large black snake. She is in her 60's now and still terrified of snakes.
My husbands grandmother reached her hands into the hen's nest to gather the eggs when she was a small girl, only to have a black snake wrap itself around her arm. She was unable to loosen the snake from her arm, and it so terrified her that to even look at a picture of a snake in her adult life would send her into fits of terror.

We can also blame Hollywood for feeding our fears by creating such wonderful movies as:
 Snakes on a Plane; Boa; Anaconda; Boa Vs. Python and the all time favorite Raiders of the Lost Ark. These movies play on the human fear of snakes to make a profit. The directors want to scare us and they use the one thing guaranteed to accomplish this....snakes!

SO we can begin to understand where the fear comes from, but what about the hatred? Why do some people vehemently claim "I AM NOT SCARED of snakes, I just DON'T LIKE THEM!!!!"  Once again we can thank those closest to us. We as children watch our relatives and family friends and look to them for advise and guidance. If we witness the people that we love and respect killing snakes out of misguided hatred, there is a pretty good chance we may repeat the behavior.

At some point the cycle is broken and a child comes along that refuses to see things the way his relatives do. Instead they see snakes as interesting and incredible creatures. Snakes to these unique children are something to be studied and kept in aquariums to enjoy each day. I was such a child. My parents were terrified of snakes, and each of my siblings were also afraid....but for some reason I did not inherit the "fear factor" gene. I have had a passion for snakes since I was very young and currently keep six snakes as pets. I am fortunate in my job to be able to educate children about snakes and their importance in the ecosystem. My hope is that by providing them with the proper knowledge they will make wiser choices than their parents and other well meaning adults in their lives where these animals are concerned.

But, when is it OK to kill a rattlesnake, or any snake for that matter? 

That is sometimes a difficult question to answer. You see, for someone like me that deeply loves and respects these creatures, there is never a good time to kill one. I see each encounter as an opportunity to learn something. I am happy to relocate them to a safer location and provide them the chance to continue on with their lives. But, not everyone thinks or feels like I do. Many people do not feel comfortable relocating a snake, especially the venomous kind. It is hard to find people willing to come and do it for you, and even if you have someone in your area who can and will relocate them, often it takes them a while to show up. Many fear that by the time help arrives the snake will be gone,and out of sight, which is scarier to them than knowing right where it is.
If you have small children or grandchildren you may fear for their safety. After all it is easy for a child to assume any snake is safe and be bitten. Perhaps you have pets that you are afraid will be bitten and possibly seriously injured or killed. These are all valid reason for killing a rattlesnake, or any venomous snake for that matter. While I do not advocate killing a snake, I certainly can respect anyone who is doing it with the intention of protecting their family.

An example of such a killing is one that was told to me just today. A blogger friend of mine from southern Missouri  has had a few timber rattlesnakes show up in his yard over the past 16 years. He is a naturalist and respects all nature, and does his best to educate the public and preserve all creatures. However, these snakes on occasion show up on his back deck, near his garage and other undesirable locations. His wife is concerned for her own safety and that of their beloved dogs. Back in September a timber rattler showed up in their driveway. His wife secured the dogs and brought a gun to her husband and insisted it be killed as the snake was decidedly close to the open garage door. She was afraid if the snake entered the garage they would not be able to locate it again which posed a danger to her ( and him too).

 (Timber Rattler shot in Southern Missouri)

He is quick to relocate them when he is able to do so, but in certain situations that is not always possible and quite frankly not at the forefront of your thoughts when faced with a potentially dangerous animal sharing your personal space.

A neighbor of mine has one or two timber rattlers show up on his back patio each summer. In spite of the fact that myself and a volunteer I work with reassuring him that he can call us and we will remove the snake and take it somewhere safer, he still insists on killing them. The reasoning behind his actions are a genuine fear for his grandchildren. He is not willing to risk their safety while he waits for either one of us to get there and take care of it for him. While I do not like it, I can understand it.

So any person can begin to understand that sometimes it is necessary to kill these snakes, or at least that is the way the person doing the killing sees the situation. We now have a little bit of understanding for when it is OK to kill a snake. NOW......lets talk about when it is NOT ok to kill a snake.

Some snakes are killed by a simple case of mistaken identity. Many non-venomous snakes closely resemble venomous snakes. They will even rattle their tail in leaf litter to sound convincingly like a rattler's rattle. This is no mistake, these are mimics of venomous snakes. Presumably if you look like a rattlesnake and you sound like a rattlesnake you will be safer from predation. In some respects this works, but more often than not it is a death sentence. Remember many humans are quick to kill and ask questions later when it comes to snakes. If it looks and acts like a rattler...it MUST be a rattler!
Next time you are faced with this situation (a snake), take a deep breathe, and try to identify what it is that you are looking at, often it will be a harmless non-venomous look alike.

(Rattlesnake mimic---this is a Diamondback Water snake, and they are often mistaken for Cottonmouths or even the rattlesnake that goes by the same name)

This is for the people who insist that any snake crossing the road is fair game for road kill. Many snakes traveling across roadways, highways and other right-of-ways are merely "migrating" to their hunting, basking or hibernating locations. They pose no threat to you as a person or to anyone you care about. You cannot use the excuse that you are protecting your family, if you are 15 miles from home as you squish the snake under your 3 ton SUV!

 

(Roadkill Timber Rattler)

 (Roadkill Timber Rattler)

Any native non-venomous snake should be left alone. They cannot cause you bodily harm. Yes, they can bite, but the bites are superficial and will not cause lasting damage, beyond a scratch that resembles a cat scratch. Simply wash the wound well with soap and water to remove any bacteria that may be present and viola you are good to go.

 (Black Rat Snake attempting to protect itself by biting)

These snakes are far more beneficial to you alive than dead. They consume vast amounts of rodents, keeping your home safe from these four legged invaders. Mice are known carriers of disease, they contaminate food with their urine and feces. They destroy stored items and turn it into nesting material. The bacteria left behind by their feeding habits can make us sick. Not to mention their incessant chewing and scratching will drive you up the wall when it wakes you up in the middle of the night. Snakes are the ultimate mouse trap.

Venomous snakes should be left alone in all circumstances, except the aforementioned situation of protecting yourself, your children or your pets. Venomous snakes are protected in Missouri as well as in many other states. The unlawful killing of a venomous snake may result in fines or even time served in a local jail. These snakes under normal circumstances pose no threat to you. They will quickly try to escape if approached. Even those snakes that stand their ground are reluctant to bite, after all you are not food, why waste venom on you? If you persist in bothering the snake or try to handle it expect to be bitten. If you simply walk away, everyone is better off. The snake gets to live another day, and you get to live to tell about it.

Snake venom is designed to subdue their prey and kill it quickly. They are expert hunters and trackers. The mousey victim does not get far before the venom takes affect, and the snake is able to smell the combo of its own venom mixed with the smell of the rodent to accurately locate its prey. While the venom is designed to kill small rodents, it is powerful enough to make a human very sick. Several thousand people are bitten each year by venomous snakes, but fewer than 10 die. Being bitten by a rattlesnake or any other venomous snake in North America is not necessarily a death sentence, it is however a serious situation and should be treated as such and immediate medical attention should be sought. Most people that are bitten are individuals who handle snakes on a regular basis such as those individuals who milk snakes for venom, or who do field studies. Another segment of the population that sustains bites frequently are those individuals bent on showing off for their friends. They want to exhibit their "snake wrangling" abilities and ultimately get bitten in the process. Many times alcohol is involved as well. Drinking and venomous snakes do not mix. Not only are your reflexes dulled, but alcohol causes the venom to course through your system much faster creating a potentially more serious situation.

Besides the fact that venomous snakes are awesome creatures, and beneficial in the rodent control they provide, there are other reasons to let them live. Their venom is used in the making of numerous life saving drugs, such as blood pressure medicine and some cancer medicine. If we as a race destroy these potentially "life saving" creatures we may well have to learn how to survive without the venom they produce which ultimately has the power to save many more lives than it will ever destroy.

Each one of us has to make choices in life, and often those choices directly affect those around us. If we choose to be intolerant of the snakes that sometimes share our world, then we will most likely raise children with the same degree of intolerance. I say we are better than that, that we are capable of great compassion even for creatures we do not like or that scare us. We can teach respect and tolerance for all living creatures; instead of teaching our children to kill those things that we do not understand, we can strive for understanding. Ultimately the world will be a better place for us and for our children, and I am sure the snakes will thank you too.

Social interactions between mothers and young: do rattlesnakes exhibit care for their offspring?

Some very interesting subjects are being talked about over at the website, SocialSnakes. There are two articles that have been posted within the past two months that discuss extensively the parental relationship rattlesnakes share with their offspring. Before we get to them, however, some background on snake reproductive behavior should be covered. Most people would be surprised to learn that any snake would know its parents, the common image for serpents and other reptiles being that they abandon or even attempt to eat their offspring shortly after reproduction. The reality is that many reptile species exhibit complex social behavior and the systematic organization of family units complete with parental care of offspring. Certain species of snakes, probably the most maligned vertebrates on the planet, have even been shown to protect their offspring. At least three species of the genus Python are known to incubate their eggs by coiling around them and will lash out at any intruder that attempts to prey on them. Even more elaborate is the king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah, which is the only snake known to build a mound nest. The female (within a male’s territory) will then stay with the nest, while fasting, until the eggs hatch. During this time she fends off potential nest predators, sometimes at the risk of her own life.

There are also species whose social behavior we are only just discovering and that brings us to focus on our main subject: rattlesnakes! Rattlesnakes are some of the most physically advanced snakes on the planet so it should come as no surprised that they are very behaviorally advanced as well. This behavior expands to their reproduction, where males have elaborate competitive wrestling matches and pairs have been known to mate with the same partners year after year. Most enigmatic and potentially interesting of all, however, is their interaction with their offspring after birth. Rattlesnakes are vipers and, like almost all vipers, they oviviparous (yes I had to look that up to spell it) meaning that they gestate their eggs inside of their bodies until they hatch and then give birth to live young. The neonates then stay with the mother for an undetermined period of time, varying to just a couple of days to over several weeks. The reason for this is not entirely known and hypotheses generally lean toward this being a phase of ethological development for the young snakes.

Some researchers are proposing an explanation in that the mother rattlesnakes are actually exhibiting true parental care. SocialSnakes has captured some amazing photographs of a mother rattlesnake interacting with her newly birthed brood (http://socialsnakes.blogspot.com/2011/10/day-in-life-of-rattlesnake-family.html). Several of these photos seem to indicate that the mother is directing her babies away from dangerous areas, i.e. the open wilderness, and actually herding strays back into her birthing lair. Another entry (http://socialsnakes.blogspot.com/2011/10/rattlesnake-helper.html) mentions an even more interesting instance where an adult female rattlesnake apparently discouraged a juvenile from approaching a human by blocking his way and staring him down. Was this intentional? Did she associate the human with danger and then made sure the younger, less experienced snake did not slither into what might have been a predator? Did the other mother snake know that her babies would be safer in her lair and thus chose to ensure that they did not leave prematurely?

The problem with evaluating this behavior is that young snakes do not have the same care requirements as, say, baby birds, baby crocodilians or many baby amphibians. Even more so than the aforementioned baby crocodilians, neonate rattlesnakes really are ready to live independently as soon as they are born. They have all of their instincts, all of their necessary development and even their venom at the ready. The one thing that they do not have is the acquired skill and experience that can only come with age. At the same time the truth is that rattlesnakes probably do not require much parental care with all of the advantages they have from birth. What is likely happening is an elaborate system of communication involving visual, physical and possibly scent signals, many of which are already instinctive nature to these snakes honed through their advanced evolution. It does not seem to be too much of a leap to imagine that certain beneficial behaviors would be selected for and among these the behavior of a mother to come to the occasional aid of her offspring and simply guide them for the first few weeks of their delicate lives, thus assuring their survival as well as the survival of the predisposition to assure the survival of future generations.

Rattlesnakes are already shown to be social creatures, even if these data are inconclusive there is still concrete proof that mother snakes will tolerate neonates in their presence and some mothers will even actually let the young bask on their backs to obtain more heat. How would the public react if they knew how complex and social rattlesnakes and other pit vipers are? It is unlikely to completely reform their unjustly negative image completely but it certainly would not hurt them. I plan to follow up on this entry in the near future and further discuss who is behind some of this research and how new data are showing that these pit vipers may be more advanced than we could have possibly imagined.

Sources:

A rattlesnake helper? [Web log message]. (2011, October 20).

http://socialsnakes.blogspot.com/

A day in the life of a rattlesnake family [Web log message], (2011, Oct 28)

http://socialsnakes.blogspot.com/2011/10/day-in-life-of-rattlesnake-family.html

People of the Response, not the Reaction.

My name is Ray Autry and I have dedicated the last 5 years of my life to fighting for reform in the area of rattlesnake roundups. I appreciate the efforts of everyone who has helped in this cause but as we approach the spring hunting season in Oklahoma I am asking people to participate in contacting state officials and letting them know that the limits placed on Crotalus sp. in Oklahoma are unsustainable.

I urge us all to respond, and not react in our dealings with officials and those in charge of roundups. We must be factual and calm in our response. I am already aware of the fact that we are being stereotyped as "animal rights activists" by those who support the massive slaughter of these awesome reptiles. When contacting those who have the power to reform roundups and make them more ecologically sound, we must be armed with the facts regarding roundups based on our own observations and previous studies. If you want to help reform rattlesnake roundups, it's worth your time to do some extra research and know the facts regarding them. Thank you for taking the time to read this.