Snakes Alive!

Photo from the Rivas' website

A few days ago, we watched a fascinating program on a pair of research scientists named Jesus and Sarah Rivas and their study of anacondas. Anacondas are enormous snakes in South America that slither through watery areas looking for prey to crush and consume. The scientists (a married couple) walk barefoot and bare-legged through the water. They use a long stick to poke around in front of them which assists in locating the anacondas. Once found, one of the researchers grabs the head of the snake and then they both work hard to wrestle into submission the remaining portion of a long, writhing, twisting, turning, powerful body.

Talk about bravery! The mere thought of walking barefoot in swampy, creepy crawly areas populated with the largest snakes in the world (not to mention crocodiles and other assorted critters looking for an easy meal) puts this couple in line for Heroes of the Year in my book. What people won't do in the name of research!

As Critter Alley blog readers know, I've had a run-in or two with snakes in the past. Therefore not only do I refrain from seeking snakes out, but I pale at any encounter with them. A blood-curdling scream and hasty retreat are my primary means of defense.

Beyond the shiver-enducing anacondas, there were other critters in the program that drew my interest enough to find out more about them.

Hint: They're big, too. Really big.

Results will be revealed in my next blog.

An Uninvited Guest

Photo and information from Missouri Conservationist Magazine.

The long weekend is over. Although there were a few torrential downpours, enough decent weather intervened to compensate us for the inconvenience. We enjoyed having friends, fun, music, drink, and food. And then there was our uninvited guest...a copperhead snake.

Yes, we were visited by a long and chubby copperhead, one of Missouri's several venomous snakes. A friend noticed it crawling next to a fallen log, and managed a pretty calm, "Better come here and take a look at this", comment.

As you can see from the Missouri Conservationist photo, a copperhead's coloring is beautiful, though he's not at all what you want to find crawling into your tent or sleeping bag.

Copperheads love mixed woodland areas where there is access to water, woodpiles, brush, and rocky areas. Consequently, 9 out of 10 copperheads agree that our place at the river is an ideal site to call home. As an added bonus, these critters are most active in late August through October (mating season), after which they hibernate through the winter in friendly fashion as members of a communal den along with various other types of snakes. I sure wouldn't want to stumble into one of those bedrooms!

Most snake bites in Missouri come from copperheads. Fortunately, the bite is not reported to be fatal for adults, but is extremely painful and can result in serious tissue damage. Prompt medical care is imperative. Due to the smaller size of children and pets, swift assistance is even more critical. Copperheads prefer flight to a fight, but will bite to defend themselves.

Flight is a point upon which both the snake and I can agree.

Well, it certainly wasn't what we expected, and resulted in more than a few shrieks of fright, but even at summer's end Mother Nature always saves a few little surprises for us, doesn't she?

Slither and Yon

Photo credit Honolulu Zoo.

Recently, there has been coverage of the burgeoning population of Burmese Pythons in Florida. It’s speculated that these snakes have been released by owners who are no longer able or willing to care for them. In the warm, moist atmosphere of Florida, the snakes are multiplying rapidly. Scientists have been monitoring this problem for several years, and although Burmese Pythons are typically identified, other constrictors have also been discovered.

Burmese Pythons are native to Southeast Asia, and imported to the United States primarily to become pets. Because the snakes grow to substantial sizes (20-30 feet in length and hundreds of pounds at maturity), these same pet owners eventually have a problem they can’t handle...hence the release.

The National Park Service estimates that there are at least 100,000 free roaming constrictor snakes in Florida, and as a non-native species, they are wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. Thus the mission of authorities now is to find, capture, and destroy as many as possible for there is significant evidence that the constrictors have the ability to migrate throughout the southern portion of the United States, where warm weather and mild winters provide a perfect place for them to thrive.

This is yet another unfortunate example of the result when people obtain exotic pets. I had an experience with a constrictor owned by my son many years ago. I won’t go into the details here, but suffice it to say it’s not an experience that I care to repeat.

Please, if you have an exotic animal, consider that this may not be the best situation for either you or the critter. Find an appropriate sanctuary to take the animal in, and never, ever consider releasing it into the wild.

Our fragile environment may depend upon it.

Snake Shock

Are you phobic about snakes? I know they serve an important function by helping to control vermin and other pests. Although I understand the concept, I admit that I just plain don't like being surprised by them.

I'm not alone. A friend of mine who is a big strapping outdoorsman was reduced to a bundle of shivering nerves yesterday when he unexpectedly discovered a five foot black snake that had gotten into his basement. This being a family-friendly blog, I won't tell you what he had to say about it (when he could finally speak, that is).

His experience reminded me that despite the instinct to scream and flee, we should appreciate our creeply crawly friends for the service they provide. Especially when they're kind enough not to sneak (or slither) up on us!