Befriend rattlesnakes

Airman, Nov, 2004 by Daryl R. Lamb

I was deeply perturbed when reading "The New CRO" [August 2004] when the author described the "corner and kill" of a western rattlesnake. As an amateur herpetologist, I've admired many reptiles in their natural habitats as well as captive environments. Among my reptile favorites, the rattlesnake is probably at the top.

The ignorant attitudes people have about snakes and the false superstitions say a lot about our flagrant disrespect for everything we can dominate. There are many environmental impacts from killing snakes. One example was a co-worker of mine who'd purchased an expensive home and came to me for advice because of a mice infestation. I asked him what he and his neighbors do to snakes in the area and he replied, we kill them. What he didn't realize was he just removed his best means for mice removal.

The article says, "The rattlesnake is just one of the many deadly creatures indigenous to desert training in Washington." But that isn't true.

I am by no means a tree hugging activist, but I believe it's necessary to provide conservation to animals, including snakes. Even though it's become socially acceptable to kill snakes, doesn't mean it's not illegal--check local laws and statutes, you'd be somewhat surprised

Daryl R. Lamb, via e-mail

Survival instructors are perhaps the biggest proponents of wildlife preservation. Ask any survival instructor, and they'll tell you their classroom is the field. Especially, because the majority of what they teach has to be practiced and performed in the field. The photojournalist for "The New CRO" understood that the snake would later be cooked and served to the students. The instructors teach people survival techniques by showing them how to kill animals to eat. A rattlesnake, though dangerous, is a solid source protein. Showing students how to safely subdue one without being bitten is critical to desert survival.