Developing Outreach Programs to Reduce Rattlesnake Vilification

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB) is a large-bodied, venomous reptile that suffers from inflated risk perception and is often characterized as aggressive and antagonistic. Misconceptions about... [ view full abstract ]

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB) is a large-bodied, venomous reptile that suffers from inflated risk perception and is often characterized as aggressive and antagonistic. Misconceptions about EDB's hinder public support of the species’ conservation and encourage wanton killing, a leading factor in EDB decline.  Long-term EDB monitoring at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC (MCRDPI), has provided human-snake encounter data over a 9 year period. Preliminary analyses indicate that research presence on the installation affects how the military, civilians, and visitors report encounters. Here, we discuss the utility of outreach presentations for both military personnel and civilians with three primary objectives in mind: (1) to increase understanding and awareness about the EDB and other snake species present on the installation, (2) to change public perception of these species, and (3) to increase and improve reports concerning human-snake interactions on the island.   Understanding and perception of local herpetofauna will be assessed via a longitudinal questionnaire consisting of 15 close-ended Likert questions and 5 open-ended questions taken before and after attendance of an outreach presentations.  Assessment of the third goal will be assessed by analyzing trends in the report rates of the Parris Island EDB data base following the introduction of outreach presentations. Public education and outreach programs that focus on snake conservation are important for achieving realistic risk assessments and ensuring public support for conservation efforts.