...some of the things that bugs me about these relocation studies is that....

a) the snakes have had major surgery; what is the mortality associated w/ that proceedure & how is that integrated w/ the rest of the data; when a nest of ants discover the suture line....all hell must break loose.

b) These studies are few, often in urban areas where mortality is skewed higher via cats/traffic/humans/etc.

C) They are useful to typically sluggish govt types that dont want to mess w/ them anyway....thus becoming another excuse for doing nothing for wldlf on any given day.

D) Even if preyed upon, that serpent is still providing input to the system, presumably something else lived another day!

I suspect (given their marvelous adaptations to food & water deprivation) most midsize to adult serpents released unharmed into suitable habitat do in fact seek shelter, then cautiously emerge, feed as they encounter food, reproduce when possible, & in fact do survive & become part of the areas meta-population. Strongly territorial creatures such as most raptors & carnivorous mammals probably have a much tougher "row to hoe" when released in unfamiliar habitat.

To avoid potential desease introductions to the wild tho, you should never ever release a pet snake, or any snake held in a cage that had tropical or other non-native herps in it.... for any reason. Give it to someone or euthanize it.

Beers, RxR

Caracara winging its way across the tropical deciduous forest

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