Serpentology Traditional Cache
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BlueRajah
Volunteer Geocache Reviewer - Utah
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Micro capsule camoed in the spirit of the name and information. Hopefully you don't see any real snakes. Log only on Von's Park Trail.
Start at parking coordinates. Do not attempt from the South.
Rattlesnakes are pit vipers with heavy bodies and broad heads. All possess rattles and all are venomous.
Here in Utah we have 5 species plus 2 subspecies. The Great basin rattlesnake is the most widespread, living all across Western Utah at elevations up to 9000 feet. Another subspecies of western rattler--the midget faded rattlesnake –is dominant in the eastern part of the state. The Hopi rattlesnake and the greenish colored prairie rattlesnake are found in southeastern Utah. And the Mojave rattlesnake, speckled rattlesnake, and sidewinder are found only in the extreme southwest corner of Utah.
The rattle itself is a unique biological feature. It’s a loose, but interlocking series of nested segments—actually modified scales-- at the end of the tail. When vibrated, the rattle produces a hissing sound.
A snake gets a new rattle segment every time it sheds—and it sheds from one to four times a year. 15 or 16 rattles are common in captive snakes, but in wild snakes six to eight are more common. In wild snakes, rattles are subject to a lot of wear and tear. So they break off before they get very long. The rattle sound is the reaction of a startled or threatened snake. You’ll often see the rattling snake in a defensive S-shaped coil—but not always!
But rattlesnakes aren’t out to get us—mainly they just want to be left alone. You’ll generally be fine if you stay aware of what might be in or around rocks, and don’t walk barefoot or in open-toed shoes in their habitat. Also, use a flashlight after dark –most rattlesnakes are active at night too!
Text Credits: Holly Strand, Stokes Nature Center
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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Rnfg fvqr bs genvy; jvguva 5 srrg bs genvy.
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