“There are usually only two reasons a snake will bite,” Chuck tells people. “They bite to protect themselves or to get food.” A visitor to a regional park near us was recently bitten for one of those reasons, even though he likely thought he was doing the right thing. Laced with hiking trails, the park’s …
“Everything has to eat,” we tell kids who express concern watching a snake eat a mouse or a rabbit. “It’s part of nature.” Most of us can relate to cute fuzzy mice or rabbits more than we can relate to slithering reptiles, but it’s important to understand the role that snakes serve in the natural …
“Keep your bear spray in your hands!” This warning from the biologist was meant to protect us as we meander through the wetlands inhabited by many moose on the National Elk Refuge. As we advise visitors, moose are the most dangerous animals in the area. With this in mind, we always pluck the bear spray …
“Trick or Treat!” For nearly 14 years, as we lived full time in our RV in remote locations on different National Wildlife Refuges around the country, we never heard those words. And now that we have acquired a residence in a 55 plus community near Phoenix, Arizona, for winter living, we probably still won’t hear …
“How do you kill a snake?” It was a legitimate question from an older resident of a care center we visited recently with our reptile program. Also in attendance was a group of preschoolers, children of some of the facility’s staff. We were intrigued by the differences in attitudes between the age groups. Preconceived Notions …
“Count the snakes and keep your distance!” a friend warned in an email after we told her our new assignment for biological work on the National Elk Refuge was to survey reptiles, mainly counting the snakes. Unknown to her, the snakes in Jackson Hole are comprised of three non-venomous species. Because one species, the rubber …
“Should I carry bear spray?” is a frequent question we get from visitors to the Tetons. They fear attacks from bears, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, or just about any animal with four legs. Bear Bells Many hikers carry “bear bells,” jingly bells that supposedly warn an animal that a human is approaching. Locals call those …