Why rattlesnakes are important

Often, these local rattlers were used to trade with zoos to obtain other reptiles. Our Klauber-Shaw Reptile House is named in his honor. In , the first breeding of the Aruba Island rattlesnake in managed care occurred at the Zoo. At one time or another, we have displayed all the rattlesnakes native to the US. Surprisingly, little is known about basic snake reproduction , so in , San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance initiated a project to gather reproductive data and develop assisted reproductive technology using local Southern California snakes.

For over a year, these local rattlesnakes were collected, weighed and measured, and tagged with a small numbered label inserted inside the rattle, closest to the tail. Their reproductive status was assessed before they were released back where they were found. The data collected represents a significant addition to the body of knowledge on snake reproduction. The techniques of semen collection, cryopreservation, and ovarian ultrasound developed with the help of these rattlesnakes have benefitted conservation efforts for six endangered snake species in Brazil.

Ongoing studies at three field sites in that country are generating data on the ecological requirements, health, demographics, and feeding behavior of these rare reptiles.

The Santa Catalina Island rattlesnake Crotalus catalinensis and the Aruba Island rattlesnake Crotalus unicolor are at critical risk, due to the fact that they are each found only on one small island and have been over-collected for the illegal trade market or killed.

The San Diego Zoo was the first facility in the world to hatch the Aruba Island rattlesnake in managed care. Some other kinds of snakes are in decline simply because people fear them. By using common sense, we can share our open spaces with rattlesnakes.

These beautiful snakes are important to the environment, because they control rodent populations. Just a little care in where we put our feet when we are out hiking is all that is necessary for us to coexist with this fascinating predator.

By supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, you are our ally in saving and protecting wildlife worldwide. Length: Longest - eastern diamondback Crotalus adamanteus , up to 8 feet 2. Weight: Heaviest - eastern diamondback, 4 to 10 pounds 1. Who would guess that rattlesnakes are good swimmers?

The Santa Catalina Island rattlesnake has no rattle, just a small button! It climbs trees and sneaks up on its bird prey, which is easier without a noisy rattle. Main menu. Search form Search. Some Endangered. While few snakebites are fatal to people, venomous snakebites should never be left untreated. A meal lasts a rattlesnake much longer than a human—an adult rattlesnake only needs to eat once every two weeks. When rattlesnakes sense a threat, different species have developed various ways to protect themselves.

Some have evolved camouflage coloration to blend in with their surroundings and others are good at silent escape. When a rattlesnake chooses to stand its ground, it takes a defensive pose and shakes its rattle to ward off predators. If startled, the snake may go straight to the attack, but they can only strike from a coiled position. Rattlesnakes do not seek people out—generally people who are bitten have had the misfortune of stumbling across a rattlesnake or have attempted to handle one.

Most species are stable, but one species and one subspecies are federally listed as threatened. Rattlesnakes are vulnerable to being killed by those who view them as dangerous pests rather than important predators. Snakes that imitate the rattlesnakes, like gopher snakes, are mistakenly killed when they are incorrectly identified as rattlesnakes.

Although rattlesnakes may seem scary to people, they play a very important role in their ecosystems by controlling small mammal populations. A groundbreaking bipartisan bill aims to address the looming wildlife crisis before it's too late, while creating sorely needed jobs. More than one-third of U.

The slithering creatures can travel miles before the seeds pass through their digestive system. Ultimately, the authors say, this paper is the first to point out rattlesnakes as important seed dispersers.

Schuett said the potential role of vipers as important seed dispersers, were, before this paper, unrecognized and mostly unexplored. The paper's researchers studied the insides of preserved, museum specimens of snakes. The research suggests other scientists pick up on this work to do more, empirical studies in the field. The famous rattle noise comes from the sound created when hollow and bony doughnutlike segments in the rattle bang together.

As rattlesnakes age, segments on the end of the rattle wear out and break off. New segments grow when the rattlesnake sheds its skin, or molts.

They detect movement by sensing vibrations in the ground. Their eyes see well even in low light. This pit is actually a sensory organ that helps the rattlesnake hunt in darkness by detecting body heat. All rights reserved.