INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY (Canastota, New York) 29 March 05 Snakes studied in Canadian desert (Matt Ross)

Osoyoos, British Columbia: Upon approaching the Nk'Mip Desert & Heritage Centre, traffic signs casually warn visitors to be aware of xaxulax, or rattlesnakes.

There was no concern that any reptiles would slither onto the roadway, as they were hibernating for the winter. Still, the images of snakes, with a suggested 25 km/h (15 mph) speed limit, are visual reminders to guests that they are entering Canada's only warm-weather desert.

When these snakes are dormant in their dens, the center's employees use the off-season to evaluate the data collected in the previous six months. The Rattlesnake Research Program, funded by the Osoyoos Indian Band, has completed its third year studying the indigenous Northern Pacific rattlesnake, the only one of seven snake species in the region that's venomous.

Provincially designated as threatened and on the Canadian list of species ''at risk,'' the Northern Pacific rattlesnake has suffered a significant decrease in its numbers over the last quarter century within British Columbia's Okanagan. Burgeoning activity in Osoyoos has swelled the human year-round population to 5,000 and, during the summer when the town becomes a tourist destination, the area's expansion has resulted in the snakes' general loss of habitat. The animal is further endangered when it comes in direct contact with people or, more probably, cars.

To reduce contact between man and animal, the research program attempts to determine the snake's behavioral and migration patterns. Cultural interpreter Shelley Witzky, in her third year at the heritage center, said it was the Osoyoos First Nation as much as any local entity that wanted to obtain such knowledge because of its own economic plans.

''We're going to impact the snakes and we wanted to know how we can mitigate [such] impact,'' said Witzky about the decade-long construction activities that will be undertaken by the band.

Using telemetry by placing a radio transmitter on the larger snakes, which can grow to four feet, Nk'Mip's study has shown how individual snakes are specific to one den and will rarely travel more than a mile from where they were hatched. With a shrinking area in which to inhabit, and because the rattlesnakes don't move away, the species ultimately faces a losing battle.

In addition to compiling general data like weight, length and gender, DNA and blood samples have also been taken to observe breeding manners. For further identification, Witzky said the snakes are given a ''pedicure,'' with bright colors painted around their rattles for added visibility.

Before the program started in 2002, local elders were consulted and their permission sought to respect the reptile's sacredness. Prayers were offered to generate positive energy when handling the snakes because of the taboo associated with the animal.

''Part of the protocol wasn't to touch the snake because if you don't bother it, they won't harm you,'' Witzky said.

As the First Nation has respected and shied away from the animal, still the rattler is admired. Unlike most animals, including other snake species that climb trees, the Northern Pacific rattlesnake lives its whole life in contact with Mother Earth - one reason for its honored status.

Witzky related how, when he was growing up, people were required to make a lot of noise when walking through the low-lying sagebrush and grasslands so as not to frighten the abundant reptiles. However, while not proven, the consensus is the animal's population has fallen by about four-fifths since the 1980s.

Even as North America's least-aggressive rattlesnake, misconceptions continue to exist. Witzky relayed a story that occurred 80 years ago when a local pastor, after one of his congregants was bitten and died, went on a rampage to eradicate the snakes'. The attitude toward the animal hasn't changed that much, she believes, despite evidence to placate the public's fears.

''Once they [the snakes] know somebody is coming their first reaction is to remain still, as they rely on their camouflage; and if they think they're spotted, that's when they'll move [away],'' said Witzky.

Bites are a rare occurrence, Witzky added, pointing out that a safe distance to be from the snake is three yards. Because Northern Pacific rattlesnakes live below an altitude of 1,000 feet, any victim will be close to town: and as local hospitals are equipped with antivenom, there are even fewer casualties.

After emerging from the den, the snakes remain active from May through October and that's when the research program assembles its statistics. The public is encouraged to take the one-hour Snakes Alive! Tour, in which visitors can watch the animals being tagged with microchips. This past summer was the most productive, as 280 snakes were examined and then released, projecting an estimate of around 1,000 of the species in Osoyoos.

Photo at URL: Signs caution drivers of the hazards in the road when driving through the Nk' Mip Desert & Heritage Centre grounds. Located in Canada's only warm weather desert, the First Nation has a rattlesnake program that collects data and educates the public about the Northern Pacific species, likely the continent's least-aggressive venomous snake.(Nk' Mip Desert & Heritage Centre) Northern Pacific Rattlesnake in its habitat within the south Okanagan region of British Columbia. This is the only venomous snake found in Canada's warmest desert and is the subject of the Osoyoos Indian Band's Rattlesnake Research Project. (Matt Ross)
Snakes studied in Canadian desert

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• NY Press: Snakes studied in Canadian desert - W von Papineäu, Tue Mar 29 11:42:12 2005