Did you know? Snakes are a protected, and it is illegal to disturb or kill them
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Oh, For Goodness Snakes!
Photo courtesy Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Snakes are important to the Big South Fork ecosystem. Sure, snakes may be frightening to some, but don’t bite unless they feel threatened. Also, snakes help keep the rodent population down, which in turn prevents ticks from having as many hosts. Win/win! Lastly, snakes, like all plants and animals found in the park are a protected, and it is illegal to disturb or kill them.
By Shane Gilreath
Tennessee is not exactly Snake Island, but on occasion one might think so. The island, officially known as Ilha da Queimada Grande, sits idly off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean and its claim to fame is that it’s the home of the endangered Golden Lancehead Pit Viper, which became trapped on the island thousands of years ago during the ice age, when rising sea levels disconnected the island from the mainland. The snakes adapted and grew in population. While Tennessee is home to 32 snakes species, including the more recognizable copperhead and rattlesnake, species that may have made themselves more visible during the onslaught of cicadas, it’s far from an island where snakes are so bountiful the government thwarts visitation, a la Brazil’s Snake Island, but some of the same rules may still apply, as the reptilian creatures crawl out of hibernation and into legal protection.
So, you should know, before you reach for a weapon this summer, intent to rid your homes of a coldblooded invader, you should probably know that it’s illegal to kill a snake in the state of Tennessee, venomous or otherwise, as the same laws that protect other creatures also apply to snakes. According to the Tennessee Hunting Guide, “The taking, killing and/or illegal possession of hawks, owls, songbirds, endangered species or any other species (i.e. snakes) for which a season is not set is prohibited.”
This scenario makes it particularly enlightening, since Tennessee, and neighboring Kentucky, who does not have the same laws, rank among the top states for both snake bites, especially given the Tennessee’s push toward outdoor adventure tourism, increasing the likelihood of human-snake interaction, and copperhead population, a species of viper which causes most of those bites. One hundred and fifty a year, according to stats. Fortunately, according to TWRA, “Copperhead venom is not very potent so fatalities from bites are extremely rare.”
Even then, as snake phobias rank among the most common fears in the world, many remain curious about the state’s lengths of protection. According to TWRA, the agency continues to protect snake populations because of their role in controlling rodent populations, and if a snake is killed purposely, there could be a fine up to $25,000 and even jail time.
As the weather warms and summer arrives, it’s good to know that snakes generally want to avoid people, according to the National Park Service, but if you encounter a snake, you should immediately stop, slowly back away from the snake without making sudden movements. Do not try to get closer. Do not try and touch the snake.
According to TWRA, is you were to become the victim of a snake bite, the first thing they should do is move, as it is not uncommon for the reptiles to strike twice. Call 911 or a local emergency number and get to a clinic or hospital. While deaths from bites are rare, it is important to quickly seek medical care.
