Spring is approaching
the Northern Hemisphere and the media is carrying stories of reptiles emerging
from hibernation CBS
8 News is covering Opp, Alabama where city officials are promoting the
Rattlesnake Rodeo that is held April 1 and 2, and report the stadium will be
lined with vendors and that day passes are $15. KOAV
TV in Tucson is reporting that the Northwest Fire District is warning residents
to be on alert for dangerous rattlesnakes and offer tips to avoid an unpleasant
encounter, like: watch your step, use a flashlight at night, keep to walkways
and areas clear of brush, and wear closed-toed shoes. And the Amarillo
Globe-News has a blog carrying a story about Jay Weddle and his experiences
with rattlesnakes, including inventing a tube that holds open the nostrils on a
horse if it has been bitten by a Crotalus.
Last week Roger Repp
gave me a day tour of several southern Arizona reptile hibernacula and there is
no doubt spring is approaching. Despite a week of mostly 80° F+ temperatures
many reptiles are still staying close to their crevices, but they are near the
openings, see below.
Labels: hibernation emergence, rattlesnakes