THE EAGLE (Bryan College Station, Texas) 20 August 06 Shedding light on snakes (Donnis Baggett)
One of the neatest things about living in this community is that so many of our neighbors are experts.
Thanks to Texas A&M, right here in our hometown we've got world-renowned authorities on just about any subject you can name. Including rattlesnakes.
I should have thought about that two weeks ago, when I did a column on a book by Tom Wideman.
Wideman, former mayor of Sweetwater, has been involved with the world's largest rattlesnake roundup for 48 years, and he shares a lot of hair-raising stories in Texas Rattlesnake Tales.
That column generated a response from Lee Fitzgerald, who's an associate professor in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at A&M. He's also curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection.
Lee and his students conduct research on the conservation and ecology of snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles and crocodilians in North and South America.
Now that I've introduced him, I'll let him have his say about rattlesnakes and rattlesnake roundups. Here goes:
Mr. Baggett,
Your feature, "Snake, Rattle and Roll" (Sunday Aug. 6) served only the purpose of glorifying Mr. Wideman's exploitation of rattlesnakes and plugging his book, Texas Rattlesnake Tales. The "facts" you reported about rattlesnake natural history are at best misleading and mostly just plain wrong. Both the book and your feature ignore the most important truths about rattlesnake roundups.
As a hunter and outdoorsman, I assure you there is no special glory in rattlesnake hunting. It's not difficult. Wideman was able to collect hundreds of rattlesnakes by spraying gasoline into their dens to drive them out. Rattlesnake roundup organizers turn a blind eye to this unethical hunting practice that not only harms the rattlesnakes themselves, but also the mammals, nonvenomous snakes, lizards, box turtles and other creatures that co-inhabit the dens.
Too many rattlesnakes are crammed into boxes, barrels and crates for transport, then dumped into overcrowded snake pits to the point they crush each other to death, defecate on each other and bite each other (they are not immune to their own bites). The boots Wideman are so proud of are indeed necessary, because roundup organizers stand in the pits kicking and "stirring" the snakes so the ones on the bottom can breathe, and to keep them constantly agitated, rattling and striking. The image of jacked-up, threatening, buzzing rattlesnakes has little to do with the natural lives of these secretive, solitary predators. The routine for an adult western diamondback rattlesnake is actually very laid-back. Rattlesnake venom did not evolve for defense; that's a secondary (but very effective) purpose. Venom is an adaptation for subduing the proportionally large rats, mice, and rabbits that rattlesnakes eat. Believe it or not, an adult rattlesnake may eat only two or three times a year. Otherwise, they lie around avoiding hawks and roadrunners, go to a den in the winter and roam a bit in the spring looking for a mate. In its entire life of about a decade, a rattlesnake rarely, maybe never, uses its rattle or bites in defense. If a rattlesnake had a bumper sticker, it would read "I'd Rather Be Alone."
At the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup, rattlesnakes are decapitated and skinned alive in the "skinning pit" as a form of public entertainment. Miss Snake Charmer and her runners-up are encouraged to participate. The spectacle is anything but charming. As rattlesnakes are cold-blooded, their heads do not die quickly. Severed rattlesnake heads move their eyes, flick their tongues, and can bite for as long as 45 minutes after decapitation.
All of the rattlesnakes are killed and sold. Rattlesnakes brought to roundups are part of a commercial trade in rattlesnake meat, skins, and curios with an estimated take of 125,000 snakes per year. There is no limit on how many can be killed. Information dating back to the 1950s showed rattlesnake bites are not a significant concern to ranching. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 12 people die from snakebites each year (one to two in Texas), compared to 17 from dog maulings and 82 from lightning strikes. Rattlesnake roundups do not decrease the risk of snakebite.
After thorough scientific review, the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, an international society of about 2,000 professional scientists, ratified a statement against rattlesnake roundups.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States also oppose rattlesnake roundups for obvious reasons. As for me, I would never criticize anyone for killing a rattlesnake on their property (but please be careful), but I strongly object to wanton destruction of wildlife, uncontrolled commercialization of wildlife, and the serious ethical issues surrounding rattlesnake roundups.
Lee Fitzgerald, College Station
There you have it - the rest of the story. Thanks for setting the record straight, Lee.
Shedding light on snakes