Recently a local outdoors expert spent a little time with biologists and conservation officers in Pennsylvania for a training session on timber rattlesnakes and he came back with a little different perspective on the animals. Spurred by memories of a childhood show on native rattlesnakes from "Pennsylvania Outdoor Life" on his local TV station that he watched with his father, he hooked up with the host after retirement to relive one of the episodes visiting a local forest to count, tag and also train conservation officers in handling and identification skills.

The truth about rattlesnakes, I learned, is that these are normally docile animals that just want to be left alone. But they get feisty when disturbed and manhandled.

It's a nice light read where you see someone understand why we love these animals. You feel fear turn to respect. There are some wonderful photos of the training sessions as well.

One of the hardest parts of saving our venomous snakes is overcoming the stimgas and fears that people have with them. Stories like this go far to helping that! Check the full article out here!

This month the Milwaukee Public Museum is offering a reptile themed "Science On Tap" lecture and it is available online as well as in person! Being Milwaukee everything has drinks, so why not a museum lecture! For those joining in person, there is a pre-lecture social hour with apps and taps, and knowing herpers, this might be their last time they let us drink.

This month features Joshua M. Kapfer, PhD and his topic is "Amphibian and Reptile Conservation in Wisconsin". From the MPM"

Joshua M. Kapfer has lived most of his life in Wisconsin. He earned his BS and MS degrees from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse in Biology and Aquatic Science. His Master’s research focused on the survival of amphibian larvae in agricultural ponds. Josh went on to earn a PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in Ecology and Evolution. His doctoral research investigated numerous aspects of gophersnake ecology and conservation in Sauk County. After earning his doctoral degree, Josh worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, NRC Environmental Consulting (now Stantec), and Elon University in North Carolina. Since 2011, Josh has been with the biology department at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater as a professor and wildlife biologist, where he teaches various lecture- and field-based ecology courses and conducts research with undergraduate students. He is broadly interested in vertebrate ecology and conservation, with more than 35 peer-reviewed publications. He is also a co-editor and author on the book Amphibians and Reptiles of Wisconsin. He currently lives in Walworth County with his family.

To sign up, click here. Ill be in the virtual crowd! See ya there!

Author at St. Augustine Alligator Farm getting the Ultimate Experience photo shoot, the closest to acting irresponsibly she had in her photos. - credit Cindy Steinle

In what the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) calls "groundbreaking research study" it has been determined that alligators are not the aggressors in the attacks that occur on humans but rather risky human behavior that cause the attacks.

Color us herpers SHOCKED! Absolutely STUNNED! Yes, that is sarcasm. Anywho, from the study:

Our ranking system indicated that 96% (26% low risk, 48% moderate risk, 22% high risk) of the recorded human–alligator incidents reviewed were caused by some level of human inattention in the form of risky behaviors, often while participating in recreational water activities. These results highlight the need for increased and targeted public education concerning safe and responsible human activities in areas inhabited by alligators. By making a conscious effort to implement proactive and preventative safety measures, human injury and death as well as the needless destruction of alligators can be reduced.

You can read the full study here and their blog post about it here.

Despite my sarcasm, this can lead to better efforts in helping protect our wild populations putting the blame rather than on the animal, directly on the person. This can also lead to better public education efforts on how to approach waterways and share our world with our cold blooded friends, not only our alligators but also other reptiles. If we can educate respect at one level, we can work out way down through the food chain! Hopefully this study helps with that for future generations.

Late last session, Rep Betty McCollum (MN) introcuded a bill to " “To amend the Animal Welfare Act to include cold-blooded species as animals, and for other purposes.” That bill died with the close of the last session, but this week she reintroduced as HR2976 and we can only guess that it will have the same wording.

The nitty gritty from the USARK Web Alert is:

This bill, which should be identical to last session’s introduction, adds reptiles, amphibians, fish, and cephalopods as “animals” under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), meaning the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must develop new regulations. Basically, the USDA would now be required to license and inspect facilities and breeders with these animals. Businesses would need to comply with the new USDA regulations. The USDA began inspecting and licensing aviculturists (bird breeders) in 2024 (for new licensees). The bill has been assigned to the House Agriculture Committee. We will post more information when available.

You can find the wording of the original bill here. While we are unsure of the wording exactly of the new bill, this gives a good guess as to what will come. As always, you know there is strength in numbers, so be sure to join and keep up with our friends at USARK.