According to John Ball Zoo, the massasauga rattlesnake is a valuable part of Michigan’s wetland ecosystem and is important to other species as well like butterflies, small mammals and amphibians that rely on its habitat.
In an effort to help the federally threatened species, John Ball Zoo’s conservation team partnered with Sarett Nature Center for a long-term monitoring project. The aim is to help the rattlesnake’s population recover and thrive by monitoring them using less disruptive techniques by using new technology.
Instead of sending out conservation teams on foot, the zoo says they will capture data by setting up a two-foot drift fence that runs across the habitat where the rattlesnakes are most active. The fence will function as a funnel, encouraging small animals to crawl through a bucket that has a camera.
“Michigan is critical for the eastern massasauga rattlesnake as our state is at the center of the species’ habitat range and has more massasauga populations than any other state or province,” said Bill Flanagan in a press release. Flanagan is the conservation manager at John Ball Zoo.
“Whatever happens to the massasauga in Michigan will define the outcome for the species," he said. Flanagan adds the new monitoring system is an excellent low-impact method to track massasaugas while protecting the habitat that supports them.
The John Ball Zoo encourages those who encounter the species, or any other type of snake, to leave them alone and not attempt to handle it. The zoo says massasaugas will avoid humans if possible and will rattle their tails as a warning if a threat is getting too close.
The public is also encouraged to share their encounters with scientists by taking a picture of the rattlesnake from a safe distance and by reporting it to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory or to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources “Herps of Michigan” iNaturalist project.