Death of the Rattlesnake

Biologists in Wisconsin are attempting to restore the native rattlesnake population, according to an article posted on Chippewa.com. Since 1975 the rattlesnake has been on Wisconsin's endangered and threatened species list. Hunters are responsible for the reptile's decline, attributing it to the $5 bounty once placed on each tail.

Some might view the population's decline as a positive, yet the attempt to restore the native goes beyond a desire to rebalance nature. Science continues to explore the possible medical benefits locked in venoms. Venom from an array of species is being explored to find cures and treatments for conditions such as brain cancer, stroke and tumors.

I'm not a stranger to the rattlesnake, having grown up in the California desert, on the border of Arizona. Diamondbacks were the common rattlers found in our terrain, and each spring we anticipated their re-awakening.

Twice my husband, Don, witnessed the eerie death of two rattlers, both scenes worthy of a National Geographic documentary. The first occurred when my husband was driving along a dirt road close to our home. There, in the middle of the road was a rattlesnake, slowly making his way across the road. Don stopped his vehicle for a moment, watching the snake leisurely make his way to the other side. Normally my husband's policy was to only kill rattlesnakes that were close to humans. If we were out in the desert, we'd leave the snake alone. Don watched for a few seconds, weighing his decision to leave the snake alone, or run it over. Before he could decide, the matter was taken out of his hands. From one direction a roadrunner darted in front of the vehicle, snatched the reptile at its midsection, and in lightning speed flipped the snake from side to side, effortlessly killing the prey. As quickly as he appeared, the roadrunner raced off, limp snake carcass dangling from its beak.

The second witness to rattlesnake death took place along the same stretch of road. Don stopped when he spied a diamondback lounging in the middle of the dirt road. Instead of a roadrunner, a small king snake appeared. It slithered next to the larger reptile, positioning itself alongside the venomous snake's midsection. With calculating, steady motion, the king snake slowly wrapped one end of its body around the rattlesnake, and then curled its other end along a section of the snake's body. Initially the rattler didn't seem concerned with the uninvited attention, yet when the king snake began to stretch its body, pulling the rattler along with it, the larger snake began to shake violently. Yet, it was too late. The king snake had the rattlesnake secured in its grasp, and it pulled its victim to its death. Unlike the roadrunner, the king snake slithered away, leaving behind the corpse.

While the human hunter is responsible for the destruction of Wisconsin's rattlesnake population, my husband can attest to the fact that the rattlesnake has more to fear, than just man.