Knowing Poisonous Snakes

By Amber Lanier Nagle
Published on April 14, 2009
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Copperheads blend in well in the fall leaves.
Copperheads blend in well in the fall leaves.
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The cottonmouth family is also known as the water moccasin.
The cottonmouth family is also known as the water moccasin.
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A copperhead finds shelter among old pots and leaves.
A copperhead finds shelter among old pots and leaves.
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The western diamondback is a member of the rattlesnake family.
The western diamondback is a member of the rattlesnake family.
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The coral snake family is among the most poisonous of snakes in the United States.
The coral snake family is among the most poisonous of snakes in the United States.
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Leave the snake charming to Gritty – it's dangerous.
Leave the snake charming to Gritty – it's dangerous.
SIDEBAR
Snakebite Treatment
Okefenokee Joe the Snake Educator

Early in the summer as I flip-flopped down the wooden steps in our backyard, I was surprised by a sudden, slithering movement beside my foot. Fueled by adrenaline, I leapt 10 feet high, spun midair with the skill of an Olympic ski jumper, and landed several feet away. I instantly ran through a mental checklist: large triangular head; thick, heavy body; brown and tan hourglass pattern; vertical pupils. “COPPERHEAD!” my mind screamed, and I watched in horror as the snake disappeared down a hole in my flowerbed.

We live in a wooded area, and we had seen lots of wildlife, including several nonpoisonous rat snakes, king snakes and black racers. We didn’t mind them. In fact, we found them interesting. But seeing the copperhead so close to our house left us a bit unsettled.

Fifty-one percent of us confess some anxiety towards snakes. Twenty percent of us describe ourselves as downright terrified of snakes, yet a human is more likely to be killed in a car accident or by a lightning strike than from a snakebite. Unfortunately, fears and misunderstandings cause many people to kill every snake that they encounter. In my lifetime, I’ve heard many people remark, “The only good snake is a dead snake,” a comment that makes me cringe. We should never kill indiscriminately or take a snake’s role in nature for granted. 

Snakes have a job to do

“Every living thing in the natural world has a job to do – every plant, animal and insect on God’s green earth is working together as a team,” says naturalist and renowned herpetologist Okefenokee Joe. “Our existence on this planet depends upon the existence of all life around us, and that includes snakes, too.”

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