Rattlesnakes are the most deadly snakes in the United States. Snake bites account for about 12 deaths in the U.S. every year, but many more get bitten and given antivenin for a full recovery. Snakes, especially deadly ones, are scary creatures. Even harmless snakes tend to give people the creeps. Our fear of snakes is likely an instinctual reaction carried over in our genes for thousands of years. Because some snakes, like the rattler, can kill us, we fear all snakes. Most of us have a similar relationship to spiders. Most spider bites can’t kill us, but there’s a hard-wired fear of spiders in many of us.
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Although rattlesnakes are dangerous, they aren’t as dangerous as most people think. “The snakes are completely non-aggressive,” explained National Park Service biologist Bryan Hamilton. “About the only way they bit is if you try to catch them of you try to kill them, or if you accidentally stepped or sat on one.” Rattlesnakes tend to stay very close to their den and avoid human interactions. These snakes tend to stay hidden, unless they are out hunting or soaking up the sun.
Most of the time, rattlesnake bites are avoidable. Never, under any circumstances, should you try to capture or touch a rattlesnake. Snakes, just like every other wild animal, will defend itself and bite you. Of course, not all snake bites are that easily avoidable. Rattlesnakes, and most other snakes for that matter, have great camouflage. This protects them from predators, like hawks, but it also makes them difficult to spot for hikers and rock climbers who would otherwise happily avoid the snake. You may accidentally step on a snake or put your hand in a snake den while climbing and get bit. If you do get bit, it’s important to get medical attention right away. If you can, get a picture of the snake that bit you, so the right antivenin can be administered.
Snakes are dangerous, just like sharks. But just like sharks, they aren’t as dangerous as a lot of people tend to think. They are misunderstood creatures. WIth a better understanding of rattlesnakes behavior, hopefully people will be more willing to coexist with them. Brigham Young University and the National Park Service have teamed up on a rattlesnake study in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, near the Utah border. GPS tracking collars are often used in wildlife research, but due to the shape of snakes, they weren’t viable for this study. Instead, the team surgically implanted radio transmitters under the rattler’s skin.
When a snake is carefully captured, it is coaxed into a narrow tube. At one end of the tube, a cotton ball with anesthesia is placed, so the snake doesn’t feel any pain during the implantation. “It will put her to sleep for the surgery,” explained biological science technician Meg Horner. “She’ll be completely out.” The researchers track the snakes and periodically collect data on the health and whereabouts of the animals.
Tracking the rattlesnakes is fairly simple with the radio implants and a signal receiver. “As you get closer to the snake,” Hamilton said, “the signal gets louder and more intense.” The snake is weighed and body temperature is collected. GPS data and weather conditions are also recorded. Over the last five years, the team has learned quite a lot about the behavior of local rattlesnakes. They confirmed that the snakes never go very far from their dens. They travel within a mile or two while hunting, but otherwise stay fairly stationary.
The research shows that the rattlesnakes are often in places that are heavily populated by park visitors. The snakes are at the park’s visitor center and the entrance to the park’s biggest attraction: the Lehman Caves. The team also found that the rattlesnakes always go back tot he same place to hibernate every year. “They always return every fall,” Hamilton noted. “The winters out here are so harsh. If you find a good place, you want to stick with it.”
Despite the rattlesnakes’ presence in heavily populated areas, the human-snake conflicts are fairly rare. Rattlesnakes, and most wild animals for that matter, tend to avoid humans. Another great feature of this snake is that it will often try to warn you away with its rattle before biting. If you ever hear a rattle while in rattlesnake territory, stop and look around. If you can see the snake, make sure you give it plenty of space.
Did you know there is a fairly easy way to tell if a snake is venomous or not? If you can get a good view of the snake’s head, you can look for a triangular shaped head. If the head is about the same size as the body, the snake bite is not venomous. However, if the head is larger and shaped like an arrowhead, that is a sign of a venomous snake. The snake’s venom is stored in glands in the cheek/jaw area, which creates the triangular shape of the head. Keep a safe distance from all snakes, though. Even if it’s not venomous, all snakes can and will pack a powerful and painful bite.
GPS Tracking Used in Rattlesnake Research
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