6/21/2023 0 Comments The lizard king by bryan christy![]() ![]() ![]() They knew that some people would follow them to research sites, causing potential havoc for vulnerable timber rattlers. That’s why the researchers I recently accompanied – part of a project between the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Orianne Society and The Nature Conservancy-were so secretive. There are others who love snakes, who want to interact with them, who want them as pets, who want to play Croc Hunter.īoth the snake haters and the snake lovers can harm reptile populations, including Vermont’s endangered timber rattlesnakes. ![]() There are those who hate snakes and round them up, shoot them, spray gasoline down their dens. Some take those feelings and act on them. It’s no secret that people have strong (and some have argued innate) feelings about snakes. They were far more anxious about people discovering their research sites than they were about handling venomous snakes. Snakes should fear us more than we fear them. Snake researchers are silent.įor good reason: they do not want their research to endanger the rattlesnakes they’re trying to conserve. They asked that I promise not to reveal specific locations where snakes were found, or use any photos with revealing landmarks. In fact, when I joined snake researchers in the field in Vermont, I was practically sworn to secrecy. Here’s what you quickly learn about rattlesnake researchers: They’re fearless, but pay obsessive attention to safety. ![]()
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