Our negative attitude toward snakes is their biggest hurdle Our negative attitude toward snakes is their biggest hurdle “Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes?” – Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark Humans often fear what they don’t understand and to most, snakes are a mystery. Snakes rely on crypsis so even when traversing through their world, we rarely see them.… Read More
Top Ten Tips for a Safe Snake Season Be aware of your surroundings, and there’s no need to beware of snakes. Snake season is here, but that’s no a reason to avoid the outdoors. Enjoy nature, wildlife, and stay safe with our Top Tips for a Safe Snake Season: Do not approach, handle, move, or kill snakes – most bites happen in these situations!… Read More
World Snake Day 2016 Happy World Snake Day! Be a #SnakeHero — Share this video from our friends at Planet Experts to speak out for snakes today (and everyday)! Want to know more? Check out these posts for stories, photos, and videos of cool snake behavior discussed in the video.… Read More
Gassing rattlesnakes in Texas Gassing rattlesnakes in Texas A proposal to ban gassing in Texas (one of the few states where it is still legal) was introduced in late 2014 and has been debated ever since. Pouring gas into the ground to collect wildlife probably seems a little crazy and hardly controversial, but rattlesnake roundups depend on this method… Read More
Stop Snake Slaughter at Rattlesnake Roundups WARNING: the following video is graphic and violent – it shows what happens at a rattlesnake roundup. Find out more about this documentary. Each year, tens of thousands of rattlesnakes are taken from the wild to be displayed and slaughtered for entertainment and profit at rattlesnake roundups. Professional hunters, not bound by ‘bag’ or ‘take’… Read More
Stuck, frightened, starved, thirsty… for days Today we present the latest in our #SnakeHero series and commend our friend Brandon Thomas La Forest, for rescuing this baby: This newborn baby western diamondback rattlesnake was stuck, frightened, starved, and thirsty… FOR 3 DAYS before the homeowner contacted the Arizona Herpetological Association. With much care and vegetable oil, Brandon was able to free… Read More
World Snake Day 2015 July 16 is World Snake Day! 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 often impedes efforts to address other threats. So do your part by spreading positive messages… Read More
Tell the Times they’re wrong on rattlesnakes Once again, the New York Times has published a story portraying rattlesnake roundups (Sweetwater specifically) as folksy, family-friendly fun. The controversy surrounding these events is brushed off as mere predictable “attention from animal rights groups,” and we expect better from a well-respected outlet like the Times. Take Action! Send a Letter to the Editor… Read More
2014: A look back Thank you, Snake Heroes, for making 2014 a great year for snakes! Together we can do even more in 2015. Music: The Perfect Life (with Wayne Coyne) by Moby courtesy of mobygratis. Moby is kind enough to make much of his music available free to students and nonprofits for non-commercial use. And he is a… Read More
Hey Discovery, stop demonizing snakes! A major impediment to snake conservation is that people tend to view snakes unfavorably. These negative attitudes are rooted in myth and reinforced by how snakes are portrayed in popular media. While some may remember the Discovery Network’s educational programming, their standards have slid and its new line of shows has sunk to a new… Read More