Timber Rattlesnakes' (Crotalus horridus) Use of Man-made Rocky Features Constructed in Roadway Right-of-Ways

The authors investigated Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) use of the highway right-of-way (ROW) of the Nelsonville Bypass on Ohio state Route 33. They employed radio telemetry, camera trapping, operative thermal models and small mammal trapping to determine snake use of the ROW and determine why snakes might be attracted to this habitat. They discovered that the ROW is used predominantly by gravid females as gestation sites but by all snakes during times of the year when environmental conditions are cooler. Gravid females use the ROW because they can attain their preferred body temperature, which is higher than males and non-gravid females, for longer periods throughout the day and at reduced risk to predation. Other size and sex classes likely prefer more wooded habitat because food resources are more abundant and thus more appropriate for the sit and wait predation tactic of rattlesnakes. The authors detected three additional rattlesnakes previously unknown to them with camera traps, two of which were caught in the manmade, riprap erosion control structure in an area where no snake fence exists. Their management recommendations are 1) do not revegetate the ROW of the bypass, 2) relocated and extend the snake fencing to be more effective and include areas where additional snakes have been discovered and 3) establish a research program to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed fencing changes and how it impacts snake use of the ROW.

• Record URL:
  http://cdm16007.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p267401ccp2/id/15164
• Corporate Authors:

  Ohio University, Athens

  Athens, OH  United States  45701

  Ohio Department of Transportation

  Columbus, OH  United States  43216-0899

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Sisson, Garrett P
  • Roosenburg, Willem M
• Publication Date: 2017-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 42p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bypasses; Construction; Endangered species; Habitat (Ecology); Right of way (Land); Riprap; Wildlife crossings
• Uncontrolled Terms: Highway features; Rattlesnakes
• Subject Areas: Construction; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01646522
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/OH-2017-25
• Contract Numbers: 135326
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 25 2017 2:10PM