ENTERPRISE-RECORD (Chico, California) 14 April 08 Rattlesnakes are beautiful and shy creatures (Rex Burress)
Perhaps it was the new slim design of the Mercury-Register that made me think of snakes.
Very few of the slim reptilian creatures of the legless design had emerged from dormancy by the 17th of March ... St. Patrick's Day ... in a cold spring that delayed everything from advancement.
I was also reminded that in 1969 I was a participant in the downtown San Francisco St. Patrick's Day Snake Race. Working at the Oakland Rotary Nature Center at the time, I had trained an active striped kingsnake to move rapidly down the "trough" to a mouse reward, and ended up in that race melee (with thousands watching) garnering a $1,000 second-place award.
The truth of the matter is, though, that despite the legend of St. Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes, there never were any snakes in the cool climate once blanketed by glaciers, despite of several species edging their way into England, according to National Geographic.
Only three land masses on earth are snakeless: Ireland, Antarctica and New Zealand. Ireland does have one species of lizard. Of nearly 3,000 snake species on earth, only about 250 are venomous.
The St. Patrick snake myth developed largely as a symbolic reference to the snake being considered evil in the Christian religion. St. P had returned to Ireland to establish Christianity in place of the "evil" paganism once present — hence, drive out the "snakes."
Perhaps the most renowned fear-striker among snakes is the rattlesnake, partly because of its ominous ability to sound-off, and partly due to its venomous disposition.
Actually, rattlesnakes are beautiful creatures with a lovely pattern of scale designs. They are prone to be retreating, more inclined to shy away from conflict, although defensive if cornered. They prefer saving that venom to subdue a mouse.
I was telling some snake stories generated around Oakland Feather River Camp up near Quincy, since in the 25 years that I was there as camp naturalist I would encounter a rattlesnake about every year. The policy became "go get Rex" when a rattler was discovered, and I would remove it for release elsewhere. In the 84-year history of the camp, no one has ever been bitten by a rattlesnake.
Of course, rattlesnakes are found around Oroville, since the rocky habitat along streams is a perfect home. There are a few around the Feather River Nature Center, and the one that crossed the stairway when a Japanese group was being given a tour, prompted some yells of surprise, but that snake wiggled into a hole rapidly.
The photographer is in luck when one can be found resting in a coiled position. Accidentally stepping on one is the biggest danger as they don't always rattle.
There are rattlesnakes on Table Mountain, too, especially about the time of the first heavy display of wildflowers arrive. They are usually off the trail in basalt rubble, so stay on the trails.
"Poor creatures, loved only by their maker, they are timid and bashful. Nevertheless, again and again, in season and out of season, the question comes up, 'what are rattlesnakes good for?' As if nothing that does not obviously make for the benefit of man had any right to exist." — John Muir
Rattlesnakes are beautiful and shy creatures

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