Biology of the vipers

Translocation of "nuisance'' rattlesnakes from public and residential areas to undeveloped habitats is an increasingly common management practice in the southwestern United States. There are, however, concerns whether translocated animals adjust to or even survive such interventions. We independently conducted radiotelemetry research to evaluate the effects of nuisance rattlesnake translocation at two separate locations in Arizona, from 1994 to 1997. ln north-central Arizona, at Montezuma Castle National Monument {MOCA), one of us {ElVfN) srudied 19 telemetered Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox), and compared the effects of experimental translocation of seven of these snakes translocated 2 km from the MOCA visitor center with seven controls (non-translocated). In southern Arizona, in the Tucson Rural Metro Fire District, two of us (TH, JM) s rudied 97 individually marked rattlesnakes, seven that were telemetered C. atrox. Due to a variety of constraints in the latter study, only descriptive data on post-translocation effects are provided. Although the study designs and sites were different, our results are complementary. In both srudies, we found that most snakes moved greater distances and more frequently after translocation, resulting in increased activity range sizes. At the protected MOCA site, there were few statistically significant negative effects of translocation, and > 50% of the rattlesnakes returned to locations from which they were displaced. Nonetheless, the survival rate of translocated rattlesnakes was low. At the highly urbanized Tucson site, there were few recaprures of translocated snakes and mortality was high. Our research has important implications both for management of rattlesnakes in public areas and for development of more effective long-term policies for mutually safe cohabitation of rattlesnakes and humans.

Biology of the vipers

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