Changing how people view and treat snakes
I wind under oaks,not looking for dust scallops,not listening to leaf song,lost in brain chatter. Buzz. Red diamonds.I recoil in respect.She is faded to match late summer(except for the shock of black and white over her rattle),bent into defense, waitingfor a better venom victim thanunswallowable me. We do not blink. My thanks are awkward:me a …
Chris Jenkins interviews ASP’s Executive Director, Melissa Amarello, on episode 14 of the Snake Talk podcast. We discussed ASP’s research on rattlesnake social behavior, how we use that information to change the public’s perception of snakes, and how we work in the advocacy arena using our work on rattlesnake roundups as an example.
This article was written by Emily Taylor, PhD, a member of the ASP Board of Directors. 2020 has been a rough year. COVID-19, unemployment, natural disasters, and cancelled travel plans have wreaked havoc on our health and psyches. Snakes haven’t been spared, either. With so many people on lockdown or out of work, there were …
In August, 2018, we were blessed by one of the most exciting and interesting wildlife observations in recent memory -– and it happened right outside our door! We did our best to film and photo document what we saw, and we are excited to bring the saga back to life in this series of posts. …
This article was written by Gordon M. Burghardt, PhD, a member of the ASP Board of Directors. Sociality in reptiles, particularly snakes, has been long misunderstood and even denied. Today it is well-established that many crocodilians have complex courtship rituals and parental care that is far more extensive than that found in many birds and …
Happy World Snake Day! July 16 is World Snake Day: an opportunity to celebrate snakes and raise awareness about their conservation. While snakes are threatened by many of the same issues that affect all wildlife (habitat loss, climate change, and disease), negative attitudes toward snakes may be the biggest barrier to their conservation because it …
ASP was founded to fight fear and hatred; of snakes, yes, but as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We recognize that until all humans are treated with respect, our mission cannot be realized. Thus, we support all who promote compassion and oppose fear and hate. Our path forward …
This is our response to an article posted on NPR about the 2020 Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup. If you would like to respond, feel free to use any of our text here or roundup facts from our FAQ. You can email the article’s author, contact NPR to comment on something you read, or ask NPR’s Public …
The Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup is a Tradition That Needs to Change Read More »
Good News for Snakes! Yes, really. The Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup happened, but attendance was WAAAY down this year (reported in the hundreds, rather than tens of thousands). That same weekend the Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival was a success. At least seven roundups have cancelled this year’s events! And it seems likely more will do so as …
Here’s the final installment in our series of five inspiring stories to celebrate ASP’s fifth birthday (read them all here): 40 Rattlesnakes Discovered in Couple’s Shed! Usually headlines like that are followed by a story detailing how miraculously no one was hurt before the snakes were inevitably removed or killed. This is not that story. …