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"Rattlesnake Roundups: Uncontrolled
Wildlife Exploitation and the Rites of Spring"
Author of original article: Joseph Franke
Originally published in Journal of Applied Animal Welfare
Science
Volume 3, Number 2, 2000*
Annual events known as rattlesnake roundups have taken place
in many parts of the U.S. since the late 1920s. Participants
capture thousands of rattlesnakes, other venomous snakes, and
non-venomous snakes. Treatment of snakes is often cruel-both
before the events when snakes are gathered far from where the
roundups will take place and often kept for months without food
and water, and during events when they are very roughly handled.
Snakes endure broken ribs and jaws, and many are slaughtered.
Beheading snakes, the method usually used to kill them, is a
particularly inhumane way to kill these animals since snakes can
remain conscious for many minutes or even hours after severing
of the head from the body.
Even the least inhumane roundups-those in which snakes are
released-are often cruel and also promote exploitation of
animals and harmful attitudes toward the environment. These take
place in Pennsylvania and involve native timber rattlesnakes.
Some people close to these events say that snakes are often not
returned to the localities where they were captured. The timber
rattlesnake has been a candidate for "threatened" status in
Pennsylvania for several years. The species is in decline
throughout its range, so conservation efforts are hampered by
roundups. "Sacking contests" in Pennsylvania, in which stakes
are collected in bags, often violate the law against using
native non-venomous snakes while also using some snakes as many
as 50 times in multiple contests.
Rattlesnake roundups originated to rid areas of animals deemed
dangerous to human beings. They continue today mainly for profit
and entertainment. Some towns raise tens of thousands of dollars
at the events. Amusement is taken from risk-taking behavior,
including daredevil shows in which participants dangerously
place themselves in contact with venomous snakes. Snake meat is
sold to eat on the premises and to take home. Many other items
made from snakes also add to the take: earrings made from snake
rattles, accessories made from snake skins, and more. Chinese
and other Asian people purchase rattlesnake gall bladders at the
roundups to sell them at a high markup back in their homelands
for use in traditional medicine.
To maintain high levels of participation, some roundup
organizers rely on religious doctrine, referring to "biblical
serpents cursed throughout the ages." Others dramatically
exaggerate numbers of people bitten by rattlesnakes or invoke
financial benefits. Animal activists and organizations work to
end rattlesnake roundups, but, because of strong support from
local politicians, progress is slow. In one case-San Antonio,
Florida-a roundup evolved into a much more humane,
environmentally sound, and educational "festival." A nonprofit
organization that inherited the event from the disbanded local
Jaycees ended the collecting of snakes and gopher tortoises and
instituted events children enjoy and a wide variety of popular
activities and concessions. Not only did the sum earned by the
event not decline; it increased substantially.
*Available from Psychologists for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals, P.O. Box 1297, Washington Grove,
MD 20880-1297; 301-963-4751.
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