On a Friday morning along a class 3 Forest Service road in the Washington/Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia, I step out of my truck to begin a day of taking tree measurements. I gather my work vest and measuring equipment from the backseat. When I close the door and turn around, a four foot timber rattler is poised against the base of a scarlet oak less than 6 feet away, the sound of its rattle reverberating through the forest. I freeze and the hair on my neck spikes.
Like many people, an unexpected run in with a venomous snake is usually something I try to avoid. However, being a forester, that is not always possible as I often find myself encroaching into their backyard. Though I am fascinated with snakes on the rare occasion that I happen across them, there is something different about seeing a rattlesnake in its natural domain. These large-bodied reptiles incite a range of emotions for people, from fear (called ophidiophobia) to hatred.
That humans have such reactions toward snakes should not come as a surprise. It has been shown that even infants demonstrate a more dramatic brain response when shown images of snakes as compared to other animals like caterpillars or frogs. In other words, we may have evolved the capacity to quickly recognize and identify snake shape and patterns.
Though encounters with timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are rare for most people – even as a forester in Appalachian forests I rarely come across more than one per season – they nonetheless strike fear in a lot of people. It would be one thing if this fear resulted in people fleeing the area of a snake encounter (which is the case in some circumstances), but unfortunately it often results in the death of the snake. In fact, some people will go out of their way to kill a venomous snake, or any snake for that matter.
Human-Snake Interactions
Experiments using rubber snakes show that some motorists will go out of their way to run over a snake on the side of the road and sometimes even drive into oncoming traffic to hit one, not only endangering their own lives, but those of fellow motorists. Obviously some people have deep-seeded hate for these animals, which makes conservation all the more challenging.
When discussing rattlesnakes with other foresters, the topic often gets brushed aside. “I’m too busy looking at the trees to see snake.” “It’s better if I just keep my head up so I don’t see them. That way I’ve already walked past them by the time they realize I was there.” Even though timber rattlers in the southeast tend to be docile and reclusive, I don’t feel comfortable setting my foot somewhere I haven’t checked first.
I have heard from a fellow forester, let’s call her Sarah, of a time she was conducting fieldwork with another technician. The technician was leading the way along a narrow forest road, head pointed toward the tree canopy. At some point the technician bumped into a timber rattler and Sarah was just close enough behind to watch the snake as it began retreating into a nearby drainage. Luckily no one was injured and the snake slid away unharmed.
It can be challenging to work to conserve something that so few people value. Contrary to popular belief however, timber rattlesnakes are far less aggressive than they are reputed to be. Actually, a few adjectives that may more appropriately describe their behavior include docile, passive, reclusive, and non-confrontational. It is usually only after they have been severely harassed or harmed that they are more likely to strike, and even then only out of self-defense.
Understanding the Risk
In order to fully understand the actual risk that rattlesnakes pose, it’s helpful to go over some important statistics. About 8000 to 9000 people are bitten by rattlesnakes every year. Of those numbers, most are due to mishandling or antagonizing the animal. In West Virginia and Kentucky, there are still Pentecostal churches where venomous snake handling is the norm and, for obvious reasons, account for a large percentage of those bites. Even still, of those 8000 to 9000 bites, only about 5 result in death. That means at most, only about 1 in 1600 bites result in a fatality! Though a snake bite should be taken seriously and someone bitten should seek immediate medical attention, a bite does not result in death as often as many seem to think and it is often those who choose not to seek medical attention that have the worst outcomes.
…Of those 8000 to 9000 bites, only about 5 result in death. That means at most, only about 1 in 1600 bites result in a fatality!
Now that we understand the relative risk, perhaps it is easier to discuss conservation efforts. In some northeastern states the timber rattlesnake is protected but regulation is more lenient in southern states where their numbers are slightly less threatened. One of the reasons protecting them is so important is their value as rodent predators, but also because they are frequently poached. Their docility and slow nature make them easy targets for sellers and trophy hunters.
In some areas timber rattlesnakes are increasing in number, while in others they are decreasing due to habitat lose. Fragmentation has also been an issue for several decades as road traffic increases and roadkills become more common. The Orainne Society is working in timber rattlesnake habitat areas to hold annual seminars and mail information packets to residents living in proximity to known rattlesnake populations.
Back in the woods that Friday morning, after my initial shock of seeing this bashful snake below me, I step back a few paces to give it room to retreat. Several minutes pass and it slowly curls its head around in the direction of the forest and slides its way over the leaf litter, disappearing into a hole under a downed log. When not harassed, these chance encounters can become special memories. Through educational efforts, hopefully more people can learn to value these important and beautiful creatures.
3 thoughts on “The Highlands Sentinel”