The city of Lethbridge, Alberta, a little north of the
Canadian-American border, is going out of its way to accommodate
a
population of prairie rattlesnakes. Survival of the species is
thought to be at risk, although it is hard to be sure because of their
reclusive nature. Rattlesnakes winter underground below the frost
line; in warmer months, they sun themselves when it is cool, but
otherwise shelter in the shade and hunt at night.
Despite their venomous reputation, prairie rattlesnakes have the
survival deck stacked against them. Human beings are rapidly
encroaching on their habitat, and in the past have been quick
to kill any snake they saw. Snakes live up to about 15 years and
are slow to replace themselves. Female snakes come to breeding
age at between 5 and 7 years, then breed only once every second or
third year, producing 4 to 12 young. Newborn snakes have a high
mortality rate, although they are born poisonous.
The city of Lethbridge has taken several steps to protect the prairie
rattler. Since human beings continue to be the greatest threat to
the snakes, first among those steps is education of city residents so
they know what do if they discover a snake on the front step or in the
garden; the intent is to make residents more tolerant. The city
has also purchased parkland to provide the snakes with forage habitat
and even built an artificial hibernaculum inside the city to provide
them a place to winter; the hibernaculum is surrounded by a high
chain-link fence to protect the snakes from people. In addition,
the city has a snake re-location programme; householders finding a
rattler in their garage can call to have it removed, and the snake will
be brought to the hibernaculum, where it will be tagged with a
microchip for monitoring.
The programme seems to be working. There continue to be people
who go out of their way to run over snakes, but others watch out for
them on the roadways and stop to let them pass. Some snakes
released from the hibernaculum in the spring return there in the fall
to hibernate, and female snakes can safely breed there.
Trevor Herriot includes some perhaps surprising facts about prairie
rattlers in his article that should make people a little less
frightened of meeting one. For instance, the rattlers’ venom is
rarely fatal to humans, and about twenty per cent of their bites
contain no venom at all. Should someone be bitten, he has only to
go to hospital where he will probably be treated with
antibiotics. Still, the snakes are poisonous, so the best advice
if you meet a rattler is to walk quietly away.
This is a highly informative article, which provides entertaining
anecdotes about encounters between snakes and people. For those
who thought the snakes had the advantage, the article will prove
enlightening. It should be required reading for anyone planning
to move to Lethbridge.