Posts Tagged ‘rattlesnakes’

Mar
01

Rattlesnakes Rock!

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Conservation,Reptiles

RATTLESNAKES ROCK!!

It’s no secret that the Houston Zoo Reptile House staff love rattlesnakes… but why?  What do we know that you don’t?   For many people, the sight or sound of a rattlesnake results in sheer terror.  Yes, rattlesnakes are potentially dangerous due to their elegant venom delivery system, but they typically give you a warning well before they strike – why do you suppose that is?  Let’s touch on some rattlesnake physiology…

 

Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)

 

Rattlesnakes are highly evolved animals.  Their skull is very delicate, having an open framework with fairly thin bones – compare this to a python, which has a reinforced, almost solid skull.  A python needs a heavy skull because they grab and hold their prey, which is often kicking and thrashing about (I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same). A rattlesnake relies on its venom to subdue its meal;  it bites and quickly lets go because a thrashing animal could do some serious and irreparable damage to the snake’s skull.  After envenomating its prey – a rodent for example – the rattlesnake then patiently waits for the venom to do its job.  At this point the rodent may have wandered off before dying, so the rattlesnake tracks it using some pretty cool high-tech equipment:  heat sensing pits (which form infrared images, allowing them to “see” in the dark) and a complex chemosensory system  (allowing them to “taste” their way around with great precision and accuracy).  Using these amazing built in tools, they can safely track the same rodent they bit a few minutes before and eat it in peace without any injury from a struggle.  Check out some amazing rattlesnake footage from David Attenborough’s BBC series “Life in Cold Blood” here.

 

Mojave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus)

 

So back to the rattle… when a rattlesnake rattles, it is threatened – something or someone has invaded its personal space.   Although most people are under the impression that ALL snakes are out to get them (especially rattlesnakes), this couldn’t be farther from the truth.   These snakes want absolutely nothing to do with us and will always flee if there is an escape route available.  An animal of our stature could easily kill a snake as small as a rattler – if a human were to accidentally step on one, that fragile skull I mentioned earlier would be crushed.  So if you threaten a rattlesnake (even by accident) and it has to protect itself, its rattle will send you a clear message:  Don’t tread on me!   This audible warning makes rattlesnakes pretty darn polite in my opinion…   But the real reason they give you fair warning is (again) they don’t want a confrontation and  they don’t want to waste venom on an enemy unless they are forced to.  Venom takes a lot of energy to make and the snake would rather use it for its intended purpose (to catch food).  So,if you ever hear/see an agitated rattlesnake in the wild, simply stop, stay calm, locate the snake and slowly back away from it until you are out of harms way.

 

Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

 

Rattlesnakes are often misunderstood and underappreciated animals.  They are unique to the Americas and are found nowhere else in the world – the American Southwest and Mexico boast the highest diversity of species.  They have very caring courtship behaviors and give birth to live young; parental care has even been documented in some species. They have striking colors and markings yet blend in perfectly with their surroundings.  They play the very important role of  predator in many ecosystems and keep populations of other critters under control, while being a prey item themselves for other snakes and hawks.  And come on – they have RATTLES on the end of their tails!  How cool is that?!!

 

 

Those who care for rattlesnakes for a living will tell you that they are peaceful and curious animals.  Working with them on a daily basis allows us to get to know them as individuals – yep, they have distinct personalities and quirks just like every other animal!  Starting to see why we love rattlesnakes so much?  Hopefully you are beginning to understand why we want to protect them.

Rattlesnakes were once well respected and  even symbolized our great country in its infancy.  Now, hundreds of thousands of rattlesnakes are persecuted and needlessly killed every year.  Rattlesnake roundups – events in which these snakes are collected from the wild and slaughtered as a public spectacle – are a severe threat to rattlesnake populations in the state of Texas.  As a native Texan, I am painfully embarrassed that these events persist  – the animals are treated disrespectfully before they are killed (and they are ALL killed) and this sends a horrible message to event attendees, especially children.  Help us put an end to the killing and ask that these yearly festivals be changed to educational ones that advocate respect for nature – before it’s too late for the rattlesnakes of Texas.

 

Aruba Island Rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor), the rarest rattlesnake on Earth. Photo: Jeff Whitlock

 

So take the time to learn more about the fascinating world of rattlesnakes and then spread the word – shout it from the rooftops!! RATTLESNAKES ROCK!!

Still don’t appreciate rattlesnakes?  Think the only good snake is a dead snake?  Hmm… I hope you don’t mind a few hundred rodent house guests because without snakes around, I can guarantee they’ll be moving in soon!

 

 

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Aug
27

For Goodness Snakes!

Posted by in Reptiles

“These foul and loathsome animals…”

Aruba Island rattlesnake

So wrote Carolus Linnaeus in his description of reptiles in his Systema Naturae published in 1735. In fact, throughout much of human history, snakes have been among the most maligned and persecuted groups of animals.

The unreasonable fear of snakes is quite prevalent in our society and myths and misconceptions abound whenever snakes are brought up in conversation. The general public conception is that snakes are the “enemy” and should be killed on sight. It has been estimated that over 50% of our population exhibit some anxiety or nervousness in the presence of snakes while another 20% are terrified, some to the point where even a picture of a snake can cause severe distress (Werler and Dixon, 2000). Psychologists have coined a term to describe this condition (ophidiophobia) and it is considered to be one of the more difficult fears to overcome. 

The news media also plays a role in shaping this attitude. Most publicity concerning snakes is of a negative nature. Venomous snakebites often receive extensive local media coverage far beyond the actual threat to human life. Rarely is it pointed out that the chances of death from a venomous snakebite are considerably less than the chances of dying from a lightning strike or from an insect bite (Bureau of Vital Statistics, Texas Department of Health).

These fears persist in spite of overwhelming evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, on the important roles that snakes play in a healthy ecosystem. Many scientific articles point to the value of snake species in food chains in temperate and tropical ecosystems. Areas where snakes are removed often display a population explosion of rodents, usually to the detriment of nearby agricultural enterprises. For example, the Chinese news agency has reported that the increased intensive hunting of wild snakes for their meat (which is considered to be a delicacy) and other products used in traditional medicines has resulted in a dramatic increase in the rodent population with devastating consequences for the Chinese farmer.

Canebrake rattlesnake

Out of all snakes, the rattlesnakes probably have received more unjust notoriety and have been persecuted needlessly more than any other group, especially in the United States. It is doubtful that any other animal group is more feared or less understood by the general public. This persecution has reached such a point that, in some states (seven, to be exact), “Rattlesnake Roundups” are a popular fund-raising event for organizations such as the local Chamber of Commerce or the Jaycees. The largest of these roundups is held each March in Sweetwater, Texas and shows no sign of diminishing in spite of recent criticism by many private herpetological organizations, various Audubon societies, and by many animal welfare groups.

Slowly, however, the bad reputation that snakes have had is changing, even when rattlesnakes are involved. This can be seen in the ever-increasing numbers of successful herpetological societies that are being established in North America, and also by the increasing popularity of non-venomous snakes as pets.

The Houston Zoo Herpetology Department also is involved in educating people about snakes. Despite the fear that many people feel for snakes, there is, at the same time, a fascination about them and a strong desire to see both non-venomous and venomous snakes up close in a non-threatening environment. This desire is especially strong in the state of Texas, which has more species of snakes (both venomous and non-venomous) than any other state in the Union.

To meet this need, the zoo maintains a large proportion of snakes in its reptile collection. Twenty eight exhibits in the Herpetology building are devoted to venomous snakes of which nine are reserved for different species of rattlesnakes. Sixteen other exhibits are devoted to non-venomous snakes. Over each set of exhibits is a flat-screen monitor which displays a picture of the species, its range, and an interesting fact about the animal.

So, the next time you come to the zoo, be sure to visit the Reptile Building and check out our snakes and learn about this fascinating group of animals!

References:

Werler, John E., and James R. Dixon. 2000. Texas Snakes: Identification,   Distribution, and Natural History. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.

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