Massachusetts plans rattlesnake colony on uninhabited island

[Mr Quatro]

This is where they should put the cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/02/22...ed-island.html

BOSTON – A plan by the state to establish a colony of venomous timber rattlesnakes on an off-limits island in Massachusetts' largest inland body of water has some rattled by visions of dangerous serpents slithering through the surrounding woods, attacking hikers, fishermen and hunters.

Those are completely irrational fears based on the public's aversion to snakes, said Tom French of the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, who's directing the project at the 39-square mile Quabbin Reservoir and representing the state at a public meeting Tuesday to address the concerns.

[Jimbuna]

You got something against snakes

[August]

From the article:

There is no plan to deny public access to the Quabbin, and concerns that snakes will leave the island and threaten humans are unfounded, French said.

Rattlesnakes are timid and only strike out when provoked. There have been no documented rattlesnake bite deaths in Massachusetts since colonial times, he said. He can't even recall an accidental bite in his 32 years with the state agency even though Massachusetts' rattlesnake populations live largely in public lands that get heavy foot traffic.

The reason there haven't been any rattle snake deaths (as opposed to bites btw) is that they have been eradicated on sight ever since colonial times. Also the idea that a snake with a known ability to swim will not be able to escape an island closely surrounded by other islands and the mainland and connected to the mainland by two causeways is a bit ridiculous.

Mt. Zion is the larger island at the end of the causeway. No swimming snakes could get off that right?

[Gargamel]

While I agree the plan that the snakes will stay isolated is a bit ludicrous, the reactions I was reading were equally ludicrous.

Basically, they were saying that since access to the island is already banned, that if the snakes escape to other locations, that people will be banned there as well. Huh?

[August]

Originally Posted by Gargamel

While I agree the plan that the snakes will stay isolated is a bit ludicrous, the reactions I was reading were equally ludicrous.

Basically, they were saying that since access to the island is already banned, that if the snakes escape to other locations, that people will be banned there as well. Huh?

Sort of. The state DEM has been looking for reasons to prevent public access to the entire area for years so there is a lot of suspicion for their motives in this. As for the reactions, remember it's easy to cherry pick them to make the opposition seem unreasonable.

[Skybird]

Check out Ilha da Queimada, offcoast Brazil. Landing there is forbidden, the island is abandoned and as a statistical mean value has a density of one snake per squaremeter, biologists estimate. All the last lighthouse guardians that were stationed there before the tower went to automatic mode, were killed by snakes.

Even worse: these are no "harmless" rattlesnakes, but highgly unpredictablay behaving and extremely poisonous fer-de-lance (bothros asper), which is the most-feared viper in Latin America and responsible for most snake-incidents. The poison can cause terrible injuries, making limbs look as if rottening alive and turning into ashes. But usually it kills in quick time. Fer-de-lance is one of the most poisonous vipers in the worlds.

That is no island you want to make holiday at. Police enforces a no-landing policy there.

[Oberon]

When man tries to play God with the ecosystem, it's usually the ecosystem that comes off worse for it.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Oberon

When man tries to play God with the ecosystem, it's usually the ecosystem that comes off worse for it.

Wither the cougar!