Rare eastern massasauga rattlesnake found in Ohio: Wildlife expert answers all the questions you need to know
Should residents be concerned? The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has responded to a rare eastern massasauga rattlesnake found in the state. The department does not typically release the locations of individuals, but this particular case was at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, where there is a well-studied population. The snake was captured for measurements and released for assessment purposes, which is usually done at study sites to measure the population's growth from year to year. There are no safety concerns for people or pets, but the snake is not aggressive unless provoked.
게시됨 : 11개월 전 ~에 의해 Ryan Haidet ~에 Science
With the post generating a lot of interest and attention, we had some questions… So we turned to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to see what we could learn about this snake in our state. Kristin Stanford, a Wildlife Diversity Coordinator, provided lots of information, which you can explore below.
Is it rare for Ohio to have these kinds of snakes?
Where was it found?
We do not typically release the locations of individuals, however, in this particular instance, it is commonly known that there is a well-studied population of these snakes at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area. We conduct annual population surveys here to assess the species health.
What should residents know?
Any safety concerns for people or pets?
Eastern massasaugas are a venomous species, but are not aggressive unless provoked. My recommendation has always been to observe any snake you encounter from a distance and to never attempt to remove the animal on your own. More often or not…just your presence will cause the snake to leave on its own accord and you are unlikely to encounter it again!
Your post says the snake was captured for measurements and released. Any statement/quote you can provide on why that’s done?
As I mentioned before, we have a handful of study sites in the state where we annually assess the population for a variety of reasons. Measurements of individuals are typically taken to measure how much snakes have grown from year to year.
주제: Wildlife