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DAILY ITEM (Sunbury, Pennsylvania) 15 December 05 New regulation would discourage rattlesnake roundups (Jaime North)
Lewisburg: A new regulation is in the works with the state Fish and Boat Commission that would discourage rattlesnake roundups in an effort to protect the native timber rattlesnake.
The proposed regulation would raise permit fees from $5 to $50 and allow only one snake, as opposed to the current allowance of two. Snake roundups have been popular fundraising events for fire companies over the years throughout rural Pennsylvania.
"We're excited to see that the Fish and Boat Commission is taking a step forward to protect some of these reptiles and amphibians," said Rolf Helbig, vice-president of the Seven Mountains Audubon chapter in Lewisburg. "We are absolutely in support of this proposed regulation and hope the general public will be as well."
The proposed regulation will also prohibit the collection of females snakes and a minimum length requirement of 42 inches. The regulation would close the season for northern copperhead snakes and set up a new permit system for copperheads and snapping turtles. In addition, there would be a ban on the collection of box turtles.
The public has until today to offer comment to the commission by mail at P.O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106, or e-mail at www.fish.state.pa.us.
"This is a short term project that will pave the way to a long-term plan that will totally ban rattlesnake roundups," Mr. Helbig said.
Mr. Helbig said the timber snake is an extremely vulnerable reptile because of its short home range and sporadic breeding cycle.
"They females breed when they are about 8 to 10 years old," Mr. Helbig said. "Then they only reproduce every three to five years. Sadly, there are usually only 12 snakes in a brood, and an average of one in eight will reach adulthood."
Mr. Helbig feels that the roundups have a negative impact by transporting caught snakes out of their environment and causing added stress to the snakes after release.
"The timber snake will avoid their den if it becomes disturbed," Mr. Helbig said. "If the snake doesn't find a den in time before hibernation, it could easily die."
Rattlesnakes were largely unregulated until the commission took responsibility 30 years ago for the protection of reptiles and amphibians in the state. The timber snake is currently protected by the commission and is managed with a regulated season and possession limit.
New regulation would discourage rattlesnake roundups

Please submit written opposition to this absurd regulatory change. Please see attached draft response letter. A previous post in November will direct you to the appropriate links to view proposed changes, etc.

I feel that this proposal is a backhanded way that Pennsylvania Regulators have found to avoid responsibility. The Pennsylvania Boat Commission is trying to convince everyone that “over collecting” is the primary culprit responsible for native species decline when, in fact, the primary cause for Pennsylvania native species decline is “Habitat Destruction” which the Regulatory Community has Failed to Curtail.

The Pennsylvania Regulatory Program has failed miserably in its attempt to protect suitable habitat and provide habitat continuity and diversity required to support these native reptile and amphibian indicator species.

To take away the right of Pennsylvania Residents to acquire captive bred native Pennsylvania reptiles and amphibians is both ridiculous and Machiavellian. Your argument that “Conservation Officers” cannot identify wild native Vs captive born and bred native animals is easily avoided through a “permit process”. Provide for an Annual Permit that requires “proof of purchase” of native Pennsylvania Reptiles and Amphibians from outside their endemic area.

I’ve been interested and actively involved with the study of reptiles and amphibians for over 40 years and I’ve never seen a baby wood turtle or box turtle in the wild. Do you really believe that people go out and capture from the wild baby turtles? Again, I feel that this regulatory agency is trying to shift responsibility for population decline to some “bogey man” that doesn’t exist instead of accepting responsibility for regulatory failure to protect required habitat.