Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 31, 1993 TAG: 9308020344
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By Carolyn Click STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Mostly, they are objects of fear and intrigue. Coldblooded by nature, they are anthropomorphized in folklore and legend as cruel and manipulative in their dealings with humans.
"It's worldwide," said state herpetologist Joseph C. Mitchell of Richmond. "Maybe the human species has grown up with an ingrained fear of snakes. Young kids pick up on the fears of their parents and other adults."
But wildlife experts like Mitchell say such phobias overlook the important role snakes play in the ecosystem. Under state law, snakes are protected and should not be killed unless they pose a threat to humans.
"No one can argue with a parent killing a correctly identified venemous snake in the back yard," said Mitchell.
But he said people who are traveling through the snake's natural habitat should simply try to avoid the creatures.
"There are some general things that people should be aware of," said Mitchell. In wooded, brushy areas, "know where you are putting your hands and feet."
A snake can strike, at most, half its body length. They do not run fast, so staying several meters away is advised to avoid tangling with the reptile.
While people concede the usefulness of garden snakes and other benign varieties, they are often irrational in their fears of poisonous snakes, said Ed Clark, director of the Wildlife Center of Virginia at Weyers Cave.
"In many ways, the attitude that people have toward certain wildlife, that some animals are good and some animals are bad, is the same kind of prejudice that has us saying there are good people and bad people," said Clark.
The Wildlife Center has cared for a variety of snakes that have been brought in for treatment of injuries. Clark also uses non-poisonous varieties in his talks to schools and other groups about the work of the center.
Recently, a woman brought in a rattlesnake her children found under in their driveway.She had carefully picked up the snake with a shovel and placed it in a box. The center later released it in Shenandoah National Park.
Attacks by poisonous snakes need to be put into perspective, said Clark.
"Nationwide, there are about 10,000 people bitten by poisonous snakes each year," said Clark. "And the number of people who die can be numbered on the fingers of your hand. Falling down in the bathtub is much more of a hazard."
Clark said some bites by poisonous snakes do not involve injection of venom.
by CNB