CREW Flint Pen Strand is located on Bonita Beach Road. The trails are open from sunrise until sunset. Please bring plenty of water and you may need mosquito repellent for the hike. These caches have been placed with permission from the CREW Land & Water Trust and the South Florida Water Management District.
Florida Snakes
Florida is home to approximately 50 species of snake. Florida has a very diverse range of habitats, making it ideal for a large number of species to thrive. Throughout Florida, you have grasslands, forests, marshes and swamps, ponds, lakes, rivers—basically any habitat that would be an ideal home for a snake.
Of the 50 species of snakes, only 6 are venomous: the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the dusky pygmy rattlesnake, the cottonmouth, the coral snake, the timber rattlesnake, and the copperhead. The timber rattlesnake and the copperhead are only found in certain parts of northern Florida. The other four are found throughout the state.
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake has the most lethal bite of any snake in the U.S. The snake may reach a length of 6 feet. Their gray-brown diamond pattern runs all the way along their back. Their venom is potent. Not only that but they store more venom in their venom glands than most other snakes.
The dusky pygmy rattlesnake is much smaller than an eastern diamondback rattlesnake and can grow only to 2 feet. Aside from their length, you can recognize them by their dark brown spots which run all along their top and their sides. While their venom is potent, they don’t have a lot of it.
When the cottonmouth is threatened, it will open its mouth, exposing its white gums. The cottonmouth is also called a water moccasin because of its preference to living close to water.
The coral snake has red, black and yellow stripes. Coral snakes look similar to kingsnakes except in coral snakes, the thin yellow bands touch the red bands. In kingsnakes, the yellow bands only touch the black bands. The coral snake can be identified by his black nose; the kingsnake has a red nose. Remember the saying: “red next to yellow will kill a fellow; red next to black is a friend of Jack”.
Rattlesnake Facts
Rattlesnakes are quite shy. They don’t chase people. In fact, they like being noticed about as much as you enjoy encountering a rattlesnake while hiking. Rattlesnakes are only aggressive toward their prey, which includes rats and mice, small birds and lizards. The rattlesnake’s first line of defense is to stay motionless and will try to move away if it has the chance to do so. If a threat is too close, the rattler will rattle its tail as a warning and the last thing it will do is strike
A rattlesnake strike typically only happens when people actually touch the snake, or are about to touch it. The majority of rattlesnake bites occur on ankles, feet and hands.
The rattlesnake can strike at a speed of five-tenths of a second.
Rattlesnake eyes have vertical pupils.
Rattlesnakes add a rattle segment each time they shed. However, it is common for segments of the rattle to break off as the snake ages.
Female rattlesnakes give live births. Rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous, meaning they don’t lay eggs. When a baby rattlesnake is born, it comes out fully developed and wrapped inside a membrane that it must puncture before taking its first breath of air.
At most, rattlesnakes can strike up to two-thirds of its body length from a coiled position. A 6 -foot coiled rattlesnake may be able to strike up to 4 feet. The rattler does not need to be coiled to strike.
What to do in case of a rattlesnake encounter while hiking:
- Freeze. Evaluate the situation.
- Figure out where the rattling is coming from. You don’t want to accidentally move toward the snake and make it feel threatened even more.
- Slowly back away. When you know where the snake is, slowly and quietly move away.
- Never provoke the rattlesnake. Leave the snake alone! Do not approach it, poke it or throw rocks at it. A bite from an angry rattlesnake might have more venom in it than one from a snake striking in self-defense.
If you are bitten by a rattlesnake
Do
- Stay calm! This is the most important thing to do after a rattlesnake bite while hiking. Don’t move too much. Snake venom spreads slowly throughout the human body. Try to keep your heart rate down to prevent the venom from spreading faster.
- Wash the bite area with water and soap, if possible. It’s a good idea to take a first aid kit with you when hiking.
- Immobilize the bite area.
- Remove things like rings, watches and tight clothing to allow swelling to happen.
- Keep the bite area below the heart to reduce circulation.
- Call 911 from the trail. If you’re hiking with someone else, send them back to the trailhead to get help. In case you’re alone, walk back slowly and try not to exert yourself.
- Get to the nearest hospital or medical facility as quickly as possible.
Don’t
- Don’t cut into or near the bite wound.
- Don’t put ice on the wound.
- Don’t restrict blood flow with a tourniquet, bandages or other constrictions.
- Never try to suck out the venom with your mouth. Rattlesnake venom can also enter the bloodstream via tiny wounds in your mouth, or you might even swallow some of it.
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