ASP changes how people view and treat snakes
ASP changes how people view and treat snakes
– Dr Christina Zdenek, Australian Reptile Academy (find her on Instagram @Chris.and.Christina) There is a long-standing myth that snakes are deaf. Presumably this comes from two places: But neither of these things prove that snakes are deaf. For example, dolphins and moths can hear exceptionally well, yet neither of them have external ears. Regarding point #2,
Snakes are NOT Deaf! Read More »
– Gordon M. Burghardt, PhD, Board of Directors, ASP Three recent books have added to our knowledge and appreciation of snakes. The most general, inexpensive, and accessible is Slither: How Nature’s Most Maligned Creatures Illuminate our World, by Stephen S. Hall (2025, Grand Central Publishing, New York). Comprised of eight chapters and a historical epilogue,
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Herp King of Southern Arizona – Jeff Smith & Melissa Amarello, Co-founders, ASP “Under NO circumstances are you to touch the snakes at this site. Ever.” Roger Repp’s proviso reverberated in our heads above the happy hour din at Bob Dobbs. We were grab-‘n-tag field biologists, schooled in the old ways of herpetology, and put
– Bryan D. Hughes, Rattlesnake Solutions. Is relocating a snake always a death sentence? No, but it’s complicated, and it certainly can be. Here I’ll discuss some misunderstandings of the practice, what is working, and where there’s room for future study and improvement. This is within the scope of Arizona-native reptiles, specifically rattlesnakes, so relevance
Snake Relocation is Complex, Problematic, but Misunderstood Read More »
An Invasive Irritation We first met Willie, a Black-tailed Rattlesnake, in June 2012, hunting on a massive downed Cottonwood Tree. We didn’t handle or mark him, but Jeff got excellent photographs. Black-tailed Rattlesnakes have unique head patterns that can be used to identify individuals and Willie also has two blotches on his back that are
This article was written by Emily Taylor, PhD, a member of the ASP Board of Directors. Research should be fun! If it isn’t, you’re not doing it right. That’s what I tell my students, at least. As field biologists, we are privileged to conduct research in the great outdoors on the wild animals that we
Thirsty Snakes? Give ‘em a Drink! Read More »
July 16 is World Snake Day: an opportunity to celebrate snakes and raise awareness about their preservation. 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 preservation because it often impedes efforts to address
World Snake Day 2025 Read More »
Your calls, letters, and signatures put an end to the unethical slaughter and waste of wildlife at the Lake Providence Snake Rodeo. Your voice matters — together we stopped a 60-year old snake-killing contest! Thanks to YOU, wildlife-killing contests that target reptiles and amphibians are BANNED in Louisiana. About the rodeo From the mid-1960s until 2024, thousands
No More Snake Rodeo! Read More »
The Age-Old Old-Age Question How long do they live? is one of the most common questions we get from the public about snakes. It might seem simple to estimate, but lifespan is influenced by many factors. I love this question because it is a good lead-in to ecological concepts and, of course, stories of individual
The Legend Of Airdropped Rattlesnakes – Alex Megerle Do state game agencies really introduce rattlesnakes by tossing them out of aircraft? Three experts weigh in on the facts, origin, and future of the enduring story. Throughout a herpetology career that has spanned more than 25 years at the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, biologist Kristin Wiley has
Snakes From A Plane Read More »
Want to help snakes? Discover 11 simple tips to create a wildlife-friendly yard and help snakes and your other wild neighbors thrive. You’ll also be the first to hear new snake stories and opportunities to take action in ASP’s fortnightly newsletter.