LAKE COUNTY RECORD BEE (Lakeport, California) 28 July 07 New rattlesnake breed sighted in Lake County (Terry Knight)

Upper Lake: Bachelor Valley rancher Wally Lembke has been around rattlesnakes most of his life, he just never thought he would be attacked by one.

But that's exactly what happened on Tuesday when he encountered an angry rattler near his home.

According to Lembke, he was driving his ATV near his house when he noticed a large rattlesnake at the edge of the road. He pulled up next to the snake and the next thing he knew the snake lunged at him.

"I don't know what scared the rattler but he took one look at me on the ATV and attacked. The snake actually struck the tire of the vehicle with his fangs. It was a completed unprovoked attack and I'm glad that I wasn't on foot because I'm sure I would have been bitten," said Lembke, who added that he often walks in the same area where he encountered the snake.

Lembke killed the snake and said it had eight rattles and was approximately 40 inches long. He also said the snake was a different type of rattler than he has seen before on the ranch because it had black and white bands at the end of the tail near the rattle.

A check with the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) indicated that the rattler was probably a Western Diamondback, which is common in Southern California but rarely seen in Northern California. The most common rattlesnake in Lake County is the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake. The DFG spokesman also it's rare for a rattler to be that aggressive because they are normally shy creatures.

Lembke said it has been an unusual year for rattlesnakes in Bachelor Valley.

"I have lived on the ranch for nearly 15 years and we have always had rattlesnakes but nowhere near the number that we have this year. In just the past two weeks my next door neighbor has killed 12 rattlers that were in his front yard and his dog was also bitten by a rattler. I have also encountered a number of rattlers near my barn and house."

Whereas rattlesnakes are common in Lake County, very few people are actually bitten by the snakes. Both Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport and Adventist Health Redbud Community Hospital in Clearlake are equipped to handle snake bites. According to a spokeswoman at Sutter Lakeside, several snakebite victims have been treated this summer though she declined to say exactly how many.

According to the DFG, California has nine rattlesnake species, two of which are the Northern Pacific and Western Diamondback. The others are the Sidewinder, Speckled rattlesnake, Red Diamond, Southern Pacific, Great Basin and the Mojave rattlesnake (all found in Southern California).

Though rattlesnakes are dangerous if provoked, they also provide humans with a tremendous service. They eat rodents, other reptiles and insects and are in turn eaten by other predators. Despite their venom, they are preyed upon by many animals in the forest. A coyote or bobcat will never pass up the chance to make a meal of a rattlesnake. Hawks and crows can easily kill a rattler.

The DFG says that rattlers generally are not aggressive, usually striking only when threatened or deliberately provoked. Given the chance, they almost always retreat.

Most snakebites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles. Children are five times more likely to be bitten than adults. Most of the children are bitten because they often go barefoot or actually pick up a rattlesnake out of curiosity. Rattlesnakes can cause serious injury to humans on rare occasions. The California Poison Control Center says that rattlesnakes account for more than 800 bites each year, resulting in one to two deaths. Lake County has had one death from a rattlesnake bite in the past 15 years. Most bites occur between the months of April and October when snakes and humans are most active outdoors. About 25 percent of the bites are "dry," meaning no venom was injected, but the bites still require medical treatment.

Rattlesnakes are often found near old buildings or lumber piles and they also like rock piles. Like all wildlife, they are drawn to an area because of food, usually mice. By avoiding these areas, you can reduce your chances of coming in contact them.

What do you do if you are bitten by a rattlesnake? The DFG says the first thing to do is to stay calm. The most serious effect of a bite to an adult is local tissue damage, which needs to be treated. Children, because they are smaller, are in more danger if bitten.

Get to a doctor as soon as possible. Frenetic, high-speed driving places the victim at greater risk of an accident and increased heart rate. If the closest medical care is more than 30 minutes away, elevate the area of the bite and try to get to the doctor as quickly as possible.

The California Poison Control Center advises: Stay calm. Wash the bite area gently with soap and water. Remove watches, rings and anything else that will constrict swelling. Immobilize the bite area and proceed as quickly as possible to the nearest medical facility.

The DFG doesn't want people to indiscriminately kill rattlesnakes because they are an important part of our ecosystem. Readers are encouraged to call Animal Control at 263-0278, if they encounter one of the snakes.
New rattlesnake breed sighted in Lake County

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