First printed in the Tallahassee Democrat Families section, January 27, 1998

Rattlesnake roundups give children the wrong message

by Sandy Beck

During the winter, many Tallahasseans head north for the Rattlesnake Roundups.

"My son is a typical boy; he loves reptiles and creepy-crawly things," said Lori, a Tallahassee dental hygienist. "So five years ago, we went to the roundup in Whigham, Georgia.

"They had a big fenced ring, just like a rodeo. There were lots of big tanks filled with rattlesnakes set up around the arena . Men pulled snakes out of the tanks with long poles and walked around the ring so everyone could see. One of the men pulled the rattles off live snakes and gave them to some of the children."

"My son got a rattle," said Lori. "He thought it was so cool."

It wasn't long afterwards that the ten year-old, toting his BB-gun, went exploring in the woods behind their home. An Eastern diamondback rattlesnake was sunning itself next to a log.

It coiled up and rattled. Instead of heeding the snake's warning, he shot it. Lori's son marched home with the dead snake around his neck.

She was horrified. "He could have been killed."

Yes, the boy was very lucky. But how many people would feel sorry for the rattlesnake? There are gazillions of them, it might have struck him, and the only good snake is a dead snake. Right?

Not really.

The truth is, rattlesnakes are not the vicious creatures they are made out to be. Rather than seeking to strike and kill whatever they encounter, they do their best to hide or slither away. If it's not small enough to swallow whole, they're not interested.

If confronted, a rattler will try to frighten off an intruder by hissing, rattling, and rearing up.

To defuse an encounter with a startled rattler, one should stop all motion and slowly walk backwards out of striking range.

Most bites happen because someone has put his or her hand or foot somewhere

without first looking or has attempted to capture or kill a snake.

Only about 3% of rattlesnake bites are fatal, about the same as the fatality rate from bee stings, venomous spider bites, and horseback riding accidents.

But the striking reflexes of snakes will still work hours after they're dead. Another fact which horrified this boy's parents.

And are there gazillions of rattlesnakes out there? Not any more.

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) used to range widely over the southeast, from North Carolina to Louisiana. But their numbers have been steadily declining in all parts of their range.

Habitat destruction has been an important factor. One of its favorite homes is mature longleaf pine forest. Very little of that left. They prefer to hole up in gopher tortoise burrows (another declining species), under stumps or logs, or in the roots of fallen trees.

The rattlesnake hunter's preferred method of collection has also had a devastating and long-lasting effect on the population.

Although no rattlesnake hunter will admit it, the method of choice is "gassing": pouring gasoline into a burrow or hole to force wintering snakes to the surface. This, of course, not only affects the rattler but also any other animals which happen to be in the hole, including gopher tortoises, foxes, and opossums.

In fact, studies have shown that gassing permanently impairs animals, makes their burrow uninhabitable for at least two years, and can leach into the water table.

This is sport?

John Jensen, wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources says that gassing is illegal in both Florida and Georgia.

"However, it's still their primary method. Snake hunters couldn't get the numbers any other way. But with only one wildlife officer per county and two undercover DNR agents for the entire state of Georgia," Jensen said, "it's almost impossible to stop them."

Many rattlesnakes are also caught during the summer when they are out and about looking for mates. These snakes are thrown into barrels and stockpiled for the winter roundups.

Kevin Enge, nongame wildlife biologist with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, conducted a four-year study of the southeastern rattlesnake harvest.

"From 1990 to 1994, Florida hide dealers and taxidermists purchased approximately 43,000 eastern diamondbacks, 70 percent of them came from Georgia.

"Most of the rattlesnakes purchased came from the Georgia roundups as well as from gas stations, grocery stores, and bait shops in small towns," Enge said.

"Indiscriminate killing also takes a toll on wild populations," he added. "Rattlesnakes are maliciously killed by most people whenever they are confronted."

Fewer snakes means more rodents and a possible increase in the incidence of diseases carried by rodents, like the hantavirus. That's what happens when you mess with Mother Nature.

Roundups in the southeast are held in Opp, Alabama, and in the cities of Whigham, Claxton, and Fitzgerald, Georgia.

And just what becomes of all these snakes?

"A fairly substantial skin trade market is what drives the roundups," says Jensen, who is vehemently against them.

Vendors hawk a veritable flea market of everything rattlesnake: boots, belts, hat bands, jewelry, key chains, and other novelty items.

Today, roundup promoters in Georgia, extremely sensitive to potential bad press, stress the "educational and scientific value" of the roundups and the money raised for non-profit groups.

The venom extractions are heavily promoted in an effort to legitimize the events. However, the usefulness of venom extracted at roundups is questionable.

But one of the most harmful consequences of these roundups is that children get the message that wildlife is there for humans to use and abuse as they see fit. That "real men" can prove their masculinity by "conquering" animals many perceive as dangerous.

There are alternatives.

One roundup, held every October in San Antonio, Florida, in Pasco County, has evolved into a Rattlesnake Festival.

About one dozen well-cared for, live snakes and other wildlife are used in excellent environmental education programs. The festival also features races, arts and crafts, music, and a petting farm.

Last year, they raised $7, 500 for local non-profit groups -- without the wholesale slaughter of wildlife, destruction of their habitats, and reinforcement of the idea that snakes are "bad" animals and deserve to be killed.

Lori has always taught her son to respect nature, including snakes. But she feels that his experience at the Whigham Roundup may have given him the notion that it is "cool to hunt and kill rattlesnakes."

A steep price to pay for an afternoon of "family entertainment."

 

Note: The Whigham Rattlesnake Roundup is held the last Saturday in January. If we don't support these roundups, they can't continue in their present form.