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Where are all the Rattlesnakes gone?
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by virgilblack on April 12, 2008
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I am new to this site. I found it by accident and have really enjoyed this section. I appreciate all the good information I have read. Yall really have some outstanding members. My question is this: I have recently moved back to my home state of Tennessee (Go LadyVols...National Champs!) and have found that the rattlesnake here in Tennessee is quickly becoming non-existant. I have spoken to several state officials concerning this and they have confermed my suspicions. Is this a trend in all the Southern states or just Tennessee? I do realize that loss of habitat is the major problem, but there is a lot of state and federal land here that is sutible for them to survive. I'm at a loss...any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
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RE: Where are all the Rattlesnakes gone?
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by GREGLONGHURST on April 12, 2008
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Being in south Florida, I am a bit out of my comfort zone attempting an answer here, but I think what I am about to say has some merit.
In Tennessee, the snakes den up during the winter. If all of the dens were on protected lands, there would be no problem. If a den is destroyed in the process of land development, the snakes are adversely affected. If the destruction happens when the snakes are not in the den, they will most likely not be able to find a suitable place to hibernate when the time comes to do so. Of course, if the destruction occurs while the snakes are in the hibernaculum, they are killed in the process.
~~Greg~~
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RE: Where are all the Rattlesnakes gone?
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by Cro on April 12, 2008
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Virgil, welcome to the site.
I believe that you are right, Timber Rattlesnakes are in trouble in many of the mountain areas where they are found, in many States.
Even if a densite is on Government or protected private land, once the rattlesnakes leave the den in the spring, they spread out over a large area to find food. Poachers do not care if a den is on Government land or private land, they will still go there and catch every rattlesnake they see. Only the most remote, unassessable dens are truely protected.
Female rattlesnakes might move up to a mile from a densite, often to basking areas where they can sit in the sun which helps them develope their young.
The male rattlesnakes often travel two to four miles from the dens to summer in the lowlands near streams. Just think of how many roads and cars that they have to deal with in doing that. Also, once they get to the lowlands, there is the chance they will run into a vacationer, fisherman, hiker, camper or hunter who will kill them on sight. Many people do not care if a rattlesnake is State protected or not, their first reaction is to kill it.
With all the development in the mountains, there is just a much greater chance that a snake will be killed. And because of the long time it takes these snakes to reach breeding age, and because in many areas, they only produce young every other year, or every three years, the populations have a very tought time.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Where are all the Rattlesnakes gone?
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by virgilblack on April 12, 2008
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First of all, thank you for your replies. I remember years ago I read a study concerning the movement of the rattlesnakes from the den. If I remember correctly, the snakes would move out and return on the same path. Then, they would go a different direction and come back the same way again. They would continue this making a full circle around the den. If you would draw it out, it would look like a wagon wheel with the spokes beeing the path the snakes took. I wish I could find that article and read it again. Does that sound right or am I way off base here? I went hunting in middle Tennessee last week and only found a lot of trash. Seems the places I used to go to photograph the snakes have been taken over by beer drinkers and fornicators. I'm still searching. Will let everyone know how it goes.
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RE: Where are all the Rattlesnakes gone?
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by Cro on April 12, 2008
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Virgil, I have not heard about the wagon wheel article, however, if you run accross it, I hope you will let us know here.
From what I have seen, Timber Rattlesnakes like to go back to the same summering grounds again and again.
Some with radio transmitters went to the same island year after year. Those snakes summer there. And the researchers there captured those snakes and toted them back to the den sites. And the same snakes turned up back down at the islands again and again.
It is hard to fight tens of thousands of years of evolution in reptiles. They will continue to do what their ancestors have done, as long as the dens remain, and as long as enough populations of them remain to keep the species living in that specific local.
Best Regards JohnZ
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