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Diversity
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Advances in the Conservation and Ecology of Rattlesnakes
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Advances in the Conservation and Ecology of Rattlesnakes

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 18370

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Michael J. Dreslik

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Guest Editor
Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
Interests: ecology; conservation; demographics; behavior; physiology; life history; amphibians and reptiles
Dr. Sarah J. Baker

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Guest Editor
Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ 85086 USA
Interests: conservation biology; disease ecology; physiological ecology; amphibians and reptiles
Dr. Gordon W. Schuett

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Biology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
2. Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo, NM 88056, USA
Interests: evolutionary and physiological ecology; mating systems; life history; phylogeography; vertebrates; amphibians and reptiles

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Few would argue that rattlesnakes are among the most fascinating and intriguing animals, yet they remain highly misunderstood. Because they are venomous, for example, they often instill a sense of fear and irrational behavior. Fortunately, social change has occurred, and many species are afforded protection. Accordingly, the goal of our Special Issue is to advance our current understanding and knowledge of rattlesnake ecology and conservation through publishing both original works and comprehensive reviews.

Rattlesnakes are strict denizens of the New World, with their diversity in the United States highest in the arid regions of the Southwest. They are currently represented by two genera (Crotalus and Sistrurus) approximately 50 recognized species. Currently, many populations face immediate threats ranging from ongoing habitat loss, disease, and climate change to outright human persecution. Despite being lauded as a symbol of our revolution, we continue to cause rattlesnakes to suffer high mortality from hunting (“rattlesnake roundups”). In several states, roundups sadly remain popular annual events.

For this Special Issue, we welcome articles addressing the topics of spatial ecology, population biology, and conservation. Articles that interface ecology and conservation with genetics, genomics, disease, physiology, behavior, human dimensions, and/or public perception are highly desired.

We look forward to your participation.

Dr. Michael J. Dreslik
Dr. Sarah J. Baker
Dr. Gordon W. Schuett
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Rattlesnakes;
  • Ecology;
  • Conservation;
  • Populations;
  • Life history;
  • Management.

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2687 KiB  
Article
Natural History and Morphology of Crotalus ehecatl (Serpentes: Viperidae)
by Rubén Alonso Carbajal-Márquez, José Jesús Sigala-Rodríguez, Jorge Arturo Hidalgo-García, Juan José Ayala-Rodríguez and José Rogelio Cedeño-Vázquez
Diversity 2022, 14(4), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14040242 - 26 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2589
Abstract
The Tehuantepec Isthmus rattlesnake (Crotalus ehecatl) is a poorly known species endemic to Mexico. We describe its diet, morphological variation, life history traits and activity patterns based on data from field encounters, museum specimens, and published data. Its diet consists almost [...] Read more.
The Tehuantepec Isthmus rattlesnake (Crotalus ehecatl) is a poorly known species endemic to Mexico. We describe its diet, morphological variation, life history traits and activity patterns based on data from field encounters, museum specimens, and published data. Its diet consists almost exclusively of mammals, with no detected ontogenetic shift or sexual differences in prey type, and with feeding happening mainly in the rainy season. As the first detailed study on the feeding ecology of C. ehecatl, it adds six new prey species and suggests a homogeneous diet among age classes and sexes, but not among seasons. Crotalus ehecatl does not present sexual dimorphism in snout-vent length, head length or total length, but males have significantly longer tails than females, possess fewer ventral scales, more subcaudal and anterior intersupraocular scales. Crotalus ehecatl showed a unimodal activity pattern with peak activity in the summer, with crepuscular and nocturnal activity during the warmer months, and diurnal activity during the cooler months. The timing of C. ehecatl reproductive events, is similar to other rattlesnakes from temperate and tropical zones. Additional studies on this and related species would help to understand how the ecology of Neotropical rattlesnakes differs from rattlesnakes of more temperate zones. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Conservation and Ecology of Rattlesnakes)
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21 pages, 5874 KiB  
Article
Human-Wildlife Conflict at a Suburban–Wildlands Interface: Effects of Short- and Long-Distance Translocations on Red Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber) Activity and Survival
by Aaron G. Corbit and William K. Hayes
Diversity 2022, 14(2), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14020130 - 11 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3928
Abstract
The mitigation of human-rattlesnake conflicts often involves euthanizing or translocating the offending rattlesnake. Although translocation is generally considered more humane, especially by the general public, it may negatively impact the translocated individual and may not be effective if that individual returns to areas [...] Read more.
The mitigation of human-rattlesnake conflicts often involves euthanizing or translocating the offending rattlesnake. Although translocation is generally considered more humane, especially by the general public, it may negatively impact the translocated individual and may not be effective if that individual returns to areas where the probability of human conflict is high. We used radiotelemetry to experimentally study the effects of short- (SDT) and long-distance translocation (LDT; beyond the typical home range or activity range) on adult Red Diamond Rattlesnakes (Crotalus ruber) near a residential development in Southern California. Though the results were mixed, some analyses suggested that higher numbers of SDTs were associated with larger activity areas and increased movement. For snakes undergoing LDT, the activity areas and mean daily movement distances were 1.8–4.6 times larger than those of non-LDT snakes in the year of translocation, but were similar in the following year. Cox regression models revealed that, for both LDT and non-LDT snakes, every 1 m increase in the distance moved resulted in a 1.2% decreased risk of moving back into a human-modified area and a 1.6% decreased risk of returning to the original site of conflict. We failed to detect an effect of either LDT or SDT on body mass change or survival. Our findings suggest that LDT of nuisance snakes may be a viable option for at least some rattlesnake populations or species, especially those in which individuals do not require communal overwintering sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Conservation and Ecology of Rattlesnakes)
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23 pages, 3769 KiB  
Article
Using Ecological Niche Models for Population and Range Estimates of a Threatened Snake Species (Crotalus oreganus) in Canada
by David Anthony Kirk, Sahebeh Karimi, Jared R. Maida, Jessica A. Harvey, Karl W. Larsen and Christine A. Bishop
Diversity 2021, 13(10), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13100467 - 26 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3476
Abstract
Modelling the distribution and abundance of species at risk is extremely important for their conservation and management. We used ecological niche models (ENMs) to predict the occurrence of western rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) in British Columbia (BC), Canada. We applied this to [...] Read more.
Modelling the distribution and abundance of species at risk is extremely important for their conservation and management. We used ecological niche models (ENMs) to predict the occurrence of western rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) in British Columbia (BC), Canada. We applied this to existing population estimates to support a threshold of occurrence for management and conservation. We also identified predictors influencing rattlesnake distribution and abundance in this region. Using a Geographic Information Systems platform, we incorporated ENMs, capture–mark–recapture (CMR) and radio-telemetry results, province-wide observations, Landsat imagery and provincial databases for agricultural land use to produce quantitative, spatially explicit, population estimates across BC. Using available western rattlesnake habitat estimated at 183.9 km2 and averaging estimates calculated from densities in three study populations, we generated a mean adult population size of 9722 (±SD 3009; 0.8 relative index of occurrence [RIO] threshold). Only a small area (21.6 km2) of suitable land cover was located within protected areas, potentially protecting an estimated 1144 (±354) adults. Most suitable land cover was within 500 m of roads (170.6 km2), representing potential habitat being used by an estimated 9017 (±2791) adults. At the threshold RIO value chosen (0.8), only a very small area of farmland provided suitable land cover. Our results highlight the possibility of high mortality rates for western rattlesnakes near roads and the fact that protected areas do not provide sufficient coverage to conserve the population. Given that this species has relatively low mobility and high site fidelity to home ranges, our population estimate for BC provides a useful reference for the northern part of the species’ range. It also fulfills a need to estimate population size within political jurisdictions where conservation management decisions are made, as well as presenting a method that can be applied to other parts of the range, including the southern United States. Our study provides an important benchmark for future monitoring of western rattlesnakes in BC using a repeatable and transparent approach. Similar applications can be extrapolated and applied for other threatened species to identify and quantify population distributions and threats, further supporting conservation prioritization tools to be used to maximize the effectiveness of conservation strategies under financial constraints. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Conservation and Ecology of Rattlesnakes)
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14 pages, 1662 KiB  
Article
Quantifying Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri) Hunting Behavior through Community Science
by Emily R. Urquidi and Breanna J. Putman
Diversity 2021, 13(8), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080349 - 29 Jul 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3495
Abstract
It is increasingly important to study animal behaviors as these are the first responses organisms mount against environmental changes. Rattlesnakes, in particular, are threatened by habitat loss and human activity, and require costly tracking by researchers to quantify the behaviors of wild individuals. [...] Read more.
It is increasingly important to study animal behaviors as these are the first responses organisms mount against environmental changes. Rattlesnakes, in particular, are threatened by habitat loss and human activity, and require costly tracking by researchers to quantify the behaviors of wild individuals. Here, we show how photo-vouchered observations submitted by community members can be used to study cryptic predators like rattlesnakes. We utilized two platforms, iNaturalist and HerpMapper, to study the hunting behaviors of wild Southern Pacific Rattlesnakes. From 220 observation photos, we quantified the direction of the hunting coil (i.e., “handedness”), microhabitat use, timing of observations, and age of the snake. With these data, we looked at whether snakes exhibited an ontogenetic shift in behaviors. We found no age differences in coil direction. However, there was a difference in the microhabitats used by juveniles and adults while hunting. We also found that juveniles were most commonly observed during the spring, while adults were more consistently observed throughout the year. Overall, our study shows the potential of using community science to study the behaviors of cryptic predators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Conservation and Ecology of Rattlesnakes)
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17 pages, 2441 KiB  
Article
Factors Affecting the Detection of an Imperiled and Cryptic Species
by John A. Crawford, Michael J. Dreslik, Sarah J. Baker, Christopher A. Phillips and William E. Peterman
Diversity 2020, 12(5), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/d12050177 - 1 May 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3423
Abstract
Population surveying and monitoring are important for identifying conservation needs and tracking trends in populations, communities, and ecosystems over time and laying the groundwork for conservation management and policy decisions. If species or populations go undetected because of inadequate effort or sampling design, [...] Read more.
Population surveying and monitoring are important for identifying conservation needs and tracking trends in populations, communities, and ecosystems over time and laying the groundwork for conservation management and policy decisions. If species or populations go undetected because of inadequate effort or sampling design, protection and management cannot be properly provided. Due to the widespread loss of populations, the Eastern Massasauga (a rattlesnake) was recently listed as a federally threatened species in the United States; it is also listed as threatened in Canada. Given its current conservation status, there is considerable interest at state and federal levels in determining how to best survey for Eastern Massasaugas to aid in management decisions. Using a 16-year dataset, we examined the relationships among environmental, temporal, area, management, and search effort factors on the detection probability of Eastern Massasaugas. We found that four abiotic parameters (solar irradiance, shaded air temperature, three-day maximum air temperature, and humidity) and three search parameters (effort per researcher, search area, and search time of day) influenced detection of Eastern Massasaugas. As the current biodiversity crisis continues, the cost-effective use of resources and scientific expertise will continue to increase in importance. We hope our results stimulate similar analyses in other taxa, which will be critical for designing and implementing regional survey and monitoring programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Conservation and Ecology of Rattlesnakes)
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