Posted by:
dustyrhoads
at Tue Jun 17 13:43:10 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by dustyrhoads ]
So, just a random thought, but if TPWD and legislators are concerned about the unfettered removal of our natural resources from the environment, such as snakes, then why don't they go after the biggest terminator of snakes and other wildlife? In a word, drivers.
Have you ever been on a trip and saw more DORs than live animals by the time you returned home? To answer that question, for my own part, that's usually the rule rather than the exception.
How many of you have seen automobiles purposefully swerve to take out a crossing snake or even a turtle? And how many times have you seen it occur? I know I have several times. Some people think that nailing turtles and watching them fly and spin in the air in their rearview is actually funny. I can't tell you how many people have told me, when the topic of snakes comes up, that they purposefully try to hit as many snakes as they can while driving.
How is this even legal? Or is it?
Shouldn't there also be a "Don't Mess with Texas Wildlife" sign dotting all of the major highways throughout the state?
Wouldn't something like this at least discourage much of the devastation that happens to wildlife?
Though some wild animals may jump out in front of you as you drive, most wildlife I see is slowly crossing, easily-spotted from hundreds of feet away.
I don't think there is any excuse for most people who run over wildlife. I mean, how can you miss a big atrox or a pink coachwhip (and yet, I've probably seen more dead 5 foot pink coachwhips than I have live ones)? Even small snakes are easy to see in time to avoid them.
I can't imagine us ever saying, "Well, your honor, that person was just crossing the road, taking his time, and I didn't want to slow down. If he wanted to live, why didn't he move a little faster?" Well, maybe I did see that on Judge Judy, one time, now that I think of it.  If it's called manslaughter, shouldn't there be a faunal counterpart of that term that is also punishable by law?
Oh, and if there ever is a "Don't Mess with Texas Wildlife" roadsign, there needs to be an image of a snake on it somewhere. I think a lot of average citizens somehow believe that a snake doesn't count as Texas "wildlife".
I know that I need to send a letter like this to TPWD and/or legislators, but thought I'd open some dialogue here.
Dusty Rhoads
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 Texas snake conservation - dustyrhoads, Tue Jun 17 13:43:10 2008
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