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Location: We visited timber rattlesnake
den areas in Arkansas and Wisconsin and met the snake handling church
members in the Appalachians.
In 1993 Mark was almost killed by a full, prey-taking
bite from a large captive canebrake rattlesnake in his care at West
Midland Safari Park in the UK. The canebrake is the southern race
of the timber rattlesnake although few herpetologists now recognise
the two forms as separate. Having experienced the effects of bites
by both timber and canebrake rattlers Mark holds a different opinion.
The timber rattlesnake was the first rattlesnake encountered by
European settlers moving to the USA over 300 years ago and it became
a symbol of independence and defiance to the English crown. Flags
bearing a timber rattlesnake and the words “Don’t tread
on me” were carried by the Americans during the War of Independence
against the British and they were flown again during the Civil War
when American fought American. At one time the rattlesnake was the
national animal of the USA, until its place was taken by the bald
eagle. Sadly this national icon has been pushed to the point of
extinction throughout much of its range by indirect threats such
as habitat destruction and deliberate eradication due to annual
rattlesnake round-ups.
Mark visits various locations in Arkansas and Wisconsin
with rattlesnake researchers to see what is being done to conserve the
last populations of timber rattlesnakes. Steve Beaupre has set up a
state of the art radio-telemetry project for rattlesnakes in the Ozarks
where the snakes actually record their own data! Some of the Wisconsin
locations are deliberately kept secret to deter poachers and the rattlesnake’s
human enemies.
Mark also visits a West Virginia snake-handling cult,
which takes the line from the Bible “Thou shalt take up serpents”
literally, and goes snake-hunting with cult handler Dewey Chafin.
A close view of a juvenile Timber
rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus),note the dark stripe down the back.
| BUFONIDAE |
TRUE TOADS |
| Bufo americanus americanus |
Eastern American toad |
| Bufo americanus charlesmithi |
Dwarf American toad |
| HYLIDAE |
TREEFROGS |
| Acris crepitans blanchardi |
Blanchard's cricket frog |
| RANIDAE |
TRUE FROGS |
| Rana ultricularia |
Pig frog |
| CHELYDRIDAE |
SNAPPING TURTLES |
| Chelydra serpentina serpentina |
Common snapping turtle |
| EMYDIDAE |
POND TERRAPINS & BOX TURTLES |
| Terrapene carolina triunguis |
Three-toed box turtle |
| PHRYNOSOMATIDAE |
SWIFTS & SPINY LIZARDS |
| Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus |
Northern fence lizard |
| SCINCIDAE |
SKINKS |
| Eumeces fasciatus |
Common five-lined skink |
| Eumeces laticeps |
Broad-headed skink |
| Scincella lateralis |
Little brown litter skink |
| COLUBRIDAE |
TYPICAL SNAKES |
| Elaphe guttata meahlemorum |
Western cornsnake |
| Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta |
Black ratsnake |
| Elaphe vulpina vulpina |
Fox snake |
| Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum |
Eastern milksnake |
| Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster |
Yellow-bellied watersnake |
| Nerodia sipedon sipedon |
Northern banded watersnake |
| Storeria dekayi wrightorum |
Dekay's snake |
| Thamnophis butleri |
Butler's gartersnake |
| Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis |
Eastern gartersnake |
| VIPERIDAE |
VIPERS & PITVIPERS |
| Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma |
Western cottonmouth |
| Crotalus horridus |
Timber rattlesnake |
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Location: The Timber rattlesnake was found in most eastern and central
US states but it is threatened, even extinct, in many areas.
O'Shea visits the state-of-the-art rattlesnake radio-tracking system
of Steve Beaupre in the Ozark Mts., western Arkansas.
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