snakes

Snake Tracks Field Update for 9-21-12

Posted on by Stevo

Today I found both rattlesnakes deep in the forest far from areas of Human habitation or visitation.  They were only a few hundred feet apart within the power line access way.  Zoe was sunning in the open and Utsanati was moving from the access way into the forest.

Here’s a photo of Zoe basking in the warm last day of summer sun.

Both snakes never rattled or acted aggressive upon my approach–they just slowly moved a few feet away from me and hid when I started collecting my data.  That’s a photo of Utsanati below–can you find him?

Take a look at the video from today below:

If that link does not work you can watch the video on Youtube HERE: http://youtu.be/_f6C4vQXGFA

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem. If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. You may also donate supplies such as animal foods, medical supplies, vitamins and habitat supplies. If you are interested in donating any of these items please contact us for more information on our current needs. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!! Without you this important work would not happen.

Snake Tracks Update for 9-14-12 *AMAZING Rattlesnake Encounter*

Posted on by Stevo

Today I discovered Zoe stretched out on the leaf litter–she was on the move heading north possibly toward her hibernation location.

I found her only around 100 feet from the woodpile where Utsanati has spent lots of time over the last year! This means that she has moved over 1/2 mile over the last two weeks and successfully evaded the heavy equipment on the south side of the ridge. Because I find these snakes in the vicinity of the woodpile in the early spring and again in the late summer it makes me wonder if these snakes use this ridge line as sort of a highway when moving from feeding to wintering grounds–only time will tell.

Zoe had a hitchhiking red mite at the base of her rattle.  I do not know it it was simply getting a lift or if it was actually feeding on Zoe.  Here’s a photo.

When I approached Zoe her she was calm, quiet and never rattled and barely even moved so I decided to test her comfort zone and see what it would take to get her to rattle without touching her–boy was I in for a surprise! I could explain what happened in a very long paragraph but the best way for you to experience it is to watch the video below.

Here is a photo from just after I shot the video…

Watch the video to find out way Zoe is coiled so close to my foot!

If the video does not show up just follow this link.

I am still processing this amazing experience but I will tell you that this encounter has further strengthened my belief that Timber Rattlesnakes are timid, secretive, docile and non-threatening–unless you harass them or harm them. Then they can be dangerous and will use their venom in self defense and I can not blame them for that because I would do the same if I was in their shoes…er, scales.

Zoe was very close to human inhabited areas on September 14th so if you live near the woodpile I mentioned please be on the look out for her. I plan to re-locate her on the 20th and will report on her then.

I found Utsanati sheltering in the remote forest at the edge of the power line access way far from human habitation and activity areas.

When I found him he was in a resting coil under a Mountain Laurel shrub. He never rattled or moved.

What a beautiful creature!

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem. If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!! Without you this important work would not happen.

Timber rattlesnake Radio Transmiter Implantation Surgery

Posted on by Stevo

Watch as ENP’s rattlesnake vet Dr. Lee Bolt and Professor Ron Davis implant a radio transmitter into a wild Timber Rattlesnake.  This snake will be tracked by Dr. Davis and his students from Western Carolina University in order to learn more about it’s movements and habitat use.

After the surgery watch as Dr. Bolt uses a therapeutic laser to help with wound healing! This may be the first time a therapeutic laser has been used on a Timber Rattlesnake!

Snake Tracks Field Update for 8-31-12

Posted on by Stevo

Due to continued technical difficulties this post is late.

Utsanati is still sheltering in the remote forest at the edge of the power line access way  far from human habitation and activity areas.  He has recently shed his skin and is beautiful!  Today he participated in a special photo shoot (see photos and video) for the Blue Turtle/Turtle of Change project that is working to make a difference and a change all over the world. That is Utsanati with the Turtle of Change “Turtle Grupo Tortuguero” below.

If you have not had a chance to read my blog posts on the Turtle of Change blog then here’s another chance:

Post 1: Travels with a Naturalist (didgeridoo concert and rattlesnake surgery)

Post 2: The Continued Travels with a Naturalist (turtles, rattlesnakes, campers, a goat, Wild South and Turtle Dogs!)

Today I found Zoe in the same small clearing near the top of the waterfall sheltering under the same tangle of brush/logs where I found her about two weeks ago!  She obviously has some sort of special attachment to this spot be it a good thermo-regulation location or a possible maternity site–we may never know.  Because I have found her in this exact location on three separate times this spring and summer I now know that this is an important site for this rattlesnake.  To a human this site would look unremarkable but to this snake it is all important and may make all the difference in the world to her life and her success.  This is why we need to learn all that we can about wildlife–especially sensitive and threatened creatures like the Timber Rattlesnake.  The more we know the more we will be able to help conserve and protect nature and wildlife from us.

With the cooler nights and shorter days I believe that Zoe will soon be making her trek back up the ridge toward her over-wintering location.  To do this she will need to cross a dangerous road construction zone where a driveway is being cut into the forest so I fear for her safety.  I only hope that she decides to move after the workers “punch out” at the end of the day or late at night.

Zoe also participated in the photo shoot for the Turtles of Change project–see if you can find her in the photo below.

Take a look at the latest video of the Snake Tracks project below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQBqCbBKHG4

If the video does not show or play then follow this link to view the video: http://youtu.be/CQBqCbBKHG4

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem. If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!!  Without you this important work would not happen.

Snake Tracks Field Update for 8-19-12

Posted on by Stevo

Both Zoe and Utsanati are in remote locations far from human habitation and activity areas.  However, if you are lucky enough to share habitat with them and you decide to take a walk to the waterfall–keep your eyes open for Zoe.  Her last location on 8-15-12 was a few hundred yards NW of the waterfall at the edge of a clearing near a trail.  I found her sheltering under a jumble of logs and limbs in an exact same location where I had founder her earlier in the summer.  This just shows that the Timber rattlesnake, like the Eastern box turtle, knows exactly where they are in their environment–and they do not need a GPS to navigate.

Take a look at a photo of Zoe before she moved to the waterfall location.  Notice the small inch-worm on her face.  Photo by Steve Atkins.

Here’s is another photo of Zoe–this time she has a spider on her head.  Photo by Steve Atkins.

Me and Zoe–can you find her?   Photo by Steve Atkins.

I found Utsanati sheltering under some thick vegetation in the middle of the power line access-way.  He was pre-molt as evidenced by his opaque eyes.  He was uncomfortable with my presence and moved off to hide under a nearby log.

Take a look at this photo of Utsanati. The opaqueness of his eyes indicate that he will be shedding soon.  The bright spot on his head is a droplet of water reflecting the flash.

For all the details of this snake hunt take a look at the video below.  This video covers three locate days: 8-10, 8-15 and 8-19.

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem. If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. THANK YOU!!

Snake Tracks Field Report for Utsanati for 8-3-12

Posted on by Stevo

Utsanati’s field update for 8-3-12.

Sorry it is late–technical difficulties again.

Utsanati resting on the leaf litter.

Today I found Utsanati deep in the forest around 110 feet NE from his last location in the power line access-way.

In this special tracking video–the longest I have ever produced–I show you exactly what I do–mostly uncut–for an entire Timber rattlesnake radio tracking excursion.

Seen in this video:
lots of shots of walking through the woods.
lots of plants.
lots of shots of me eating wild blueberries (aka: buck berries).
lots of sounds of me panting, grunting and groaning as I climb up steep slopes and over logs.
the sound of thunder in the distance.
more vision of me walking through thick bushes and vegetation.
lots of shots of Utsanati the Timber rattlesnake resting on the leaf litter.
shots of me collecting data with my instruments.
commentary by me on the importance of preserving snakes.
an unexpected encounter with other humans in the forest.
more shots of me walking through thick vegetation.
a bit more of commentary by me on the importance of preserving snakes.
the end.
If you are truly interested in learning what I do on a snake hunt then this video is for you.  If you are looking for adventure, excitement (a Jedi craves not these things:-) and a grand musical soundtrack   then look for another video because you will not find it here.  This is just the facts of what I do to help conserve, preserve and understand the beautiful Timber rattlesnake.

Enjoy.

Video and editing by Steve O’Neil

Music by The Steep Canyon Rangers used with written permission.  http://www.steepcanyon.com

Special thanks to Dan Schreiman for the use of the GoPro camera.

Snake Tracks Field Report for Zoe 8-3-12

Posted on by Stevo

Snake Tracks Field Report for Zoe 8-3-12

I apologize that this post is a bit late. Again this was due to technical difficulties beyond my control (sick modem).

Due to the length of both Zoe and Utsanati’s locates and videos on this locate day I will be posting their locates separately.

On August 03 I started my snake hunt near Zoe’s last location in the field. Her signal showed me that she had seemed to have moved up above the waterfall so I decided to drive around the mountain and drop in from the top. I thought that this route would be easier–boy was I ever wrong. After arriving near the top of the mountain and realizing that I had no signal I decided that I would hike down to the waterfall and find her signal on the way down. I started on what was a well groomed trail but it quickly closed in and disappeared entirely giving way to thick laurels and chin high shrubs–thank goodness for snake chaps.

After awhile I came out on the old trail to the falls. It was easy going and after awhile I arrived near the top of the falls where I explored the rock outcrops and rock shelter before making my way to the bottom of the falls. After cooling off in the creek I again picked up Zoe’s signal and headed off toward her location. I was a bit miffed at myself because her signal led me once again to the field–where I had just located her signal about an hour before. Next time I will start from her last location as I usually do.

I followed her signal through the field, past the large maples on the hill, and into my friends Dave and Christina’s yard! Zoe’s signal put her in a deep gully just below a trail. I was unable to physically access her location due to the steepness of the slope and the obvious danger of falling on a rattlesnake! I needed to collect my data so Dave and I rigged a rope to a large tree and I used it to lower myself down the steep embankment to get closer to Zoe.

I found her coiled on the surface in a resting coil. She looked very healthy and never moved or rattled despite the fact that three noisy humans were only a few feet away.

It is very interesting to note that Zoe has visited Dave and Christina before! About a year ago Christina took a video of Zoe only about 15 feet from where I found her today. This just shows that Timber rattlesnakes, like box turtles, are creatures of habit and they follow the same paths year after year!

I collected my data, climbed back up the mountain and said goodbye to Zoe the Timber rattlesnake.

Zoe’s Danger Level is a 5 due to her close proximity to human habitation.

I again located Zoe on 8-8-12 and she was in the same position as on 8-3-12.

For all the details of this snake hunt take a look at the video below. Keep in mind that it is the extended version of my trek. I wanted to show you some of what it takes to keep track of these snakes in their native habitat. Also keep in mind that I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals and to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem.

Watch the video below for details and vision of the last locate day for Zoe.

If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. THANK YOU!!