MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER (Alabama) 12 June 07 Snake savvy (Teri Greene)
It's unlikely that you'll ever see a horde of snakes take over on a plane.
These days, you're probably hard-pressed to even find one in your back yard.
The scorching temperatures are particularly hard on wildlife, especially snakes. Most of the slippery reptiles are hiding in holes, trying to beat the heat, said zoologist Robert Hastings.
The snake expert has collected and studied various species for more than 50 years and has a special interest in their conservation and protection. Hastings is particularly concerned that the lack of rain could spell troubles for snakes such as the indigo and pine snakes, two of Alabama's endangered species.
"They do need a source of water," he said of all snakes. "If they can't find that, they can suffer."
Now before you get giddy at the thought of a world without snakes, you should know that they are actually an important part of the natural environment.
The predatory carnivores help control the rodent population, one of their main sources of food, and their absence from the landscape could mean that ecological food-chain is out of whack.
Here, Hastings, who is hosting "Snakes of Alabama," at the Alabama Nature Center in Millbrook, talks more about snakes and why we shouldn't fear --or kill -- them.
Q. Why is there such a widespread fear of snakes?
A. I think part of it is just their character -- they're wiggly animals that people don't tend to like and then some people have the Biblical connotation of serpents being evil. There is also the fear that some are poisonous. Most are not poisonous. We have about 40 kinds of snakes in Alabama, and only six are poisonous.
You have a special interest in snake conservation. How are snakes faring in Alabama?
Most are doing OK. There are a few endangered species -- the indigo snake and the pine snake are two that are not doing very well. There was also the Southern hognose snake. It may have been wiped out in Alabama. It hasn't been seen in about 10 to 15 years.
Is this due to people killing the snakes they see?
That's certainly a problem, but the main problem is loss of habitat. A lot of the natural areas are being developed, and usually the people that move into the area don't like having snakes around. So, they discourage snakes by reducing the natural vegetation, having open lawns instead of wooded areas.
How have the recent drought conditions affected snakes?
Well, it has made it harder to find snakes. It's hard to tell at this stage if they've suffered much mortality. They usually go into a hole and stay hidden, out of the hot weather. They do need a source of water, though. If they can't find that, they can suffer.
What got you into this field of study and what has kept you fascinated all these years?
It's a historical thing. I started out catching bugs when I was five years old, then I graduated to lizards when I was 13 years old, then snakes. I have been catching them ever since.
They're very interesting animals and yet most people hate them. They kill every one that they see, and I find that very disheartening. I think we should appreciate them for what they are, so I sort of committed myself to do that, to make presentations to young people.
You collect snakes. What kinds do you have, how many, and what goes into keeping them?
I have about 40 snakes. I have a room set up in my garage with cages and air conditioning and heating so they can maintain the proper temperature. I've got about 10 to 15 different kinds (including) the corn, ribbon, timber rattler, cottonmouth and ball pythons.
There is a lot of diversity in Alabama. We have more snakes than most other states do, partly because of our location and the warm climate.
In your educational programs, what do you hope to convey to people?
That snakes are a part of our natural heritage and they belong in the natural environment. They should not be killed indiscriminately.
Snake savvy