[00:00:09]
HE CAN SAY, SO THIS IS A LITTLE AMERICAN ALLIGATORS, NOT A CROCODILE.
IN FACT, ONE OF THEM JUST FLEW THE LOW COUNTRY IS HOME TO A SURPRISING NUMBER OF SNAKE SPECIES.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR SNAKES ARE COMPLETELY HARMLESS AND NON VENOMOUS, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SPECIES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT EVEN THESE SPECIES ARE CRITICAL TO THE ECOLOGY OF OUR REGION.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE VENOMOUS SNAKE SPECIES THAT LIVE RIGHT HERE IN THE LOCAL COUNTRY.
SO WE'VE MOVED INLAND A BIT TO ONE OF MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS, THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE, AND WERE INVITED HERE BY MY GOOD FRIEND, SEAN POPPY, SEAN, THANKS FOR LETTING US COME VISIT TODAY.
SO WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR OVER A DECADE, MAYBE LONGER THAN THAT, I GUESS, DOING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS, TEACHER WORKSHOPS RIGHT HERE AT THIS SITE.
AND SEAN ACTUALLY RUNS, I THINK ONE OF THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, UH, ANYWHERE IN THE STATE, JOHN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT? YEAH.
SO OUR ECOLOGISTS FOR DAY PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO GET GROUPS OF STUDENTS OUT INTO THE FIELD, USING SOME OF THE SAME TECHNIQUES THAT OUR RESEARCHERS USE AT THE SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY LAB, WHICH IS A RESEARCH UNIT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.
UH, WE ARE ON THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE, WHICH IS OPERATED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
AND THEY'RE ONE OF OUR MAJOR FUNDING SOURCES, WHICH HELPS TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE FREE TO THE SCHOOL GROUPS THAT COME OUT VISIT.
SO THIS, THIS IS A REALLY NICE CHUNK OF LAND.
IT'S LIKE 65 ACRES OR SO DIVERSITY OF HABITAT.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO DO THAT.
OH, LIKE YOU SAID, WIDE VARIETY OF HABITATS, LOTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPECIES AROUND HERE.
UM, WE'RE ON THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE.
UH, SO YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO PATCH TO GET HERE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN, THIS IS ALL GREAT.
BUT WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TODAY IS WE'RE HERE TO LOOK FOR A COUPLE OF SNAKE SPECIES AND ONE IN PARTICULAR, THAT'S REALLY HARD TO FIND.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO PERS OH, LET'S GO CHECK A DRIFT FENCE.
WHAT'S UNDERNEATH THERE AS ESCAPE.
A LITTLE, LITTLE BLUE TAILED SKINK.
MOST OF THE LITTLE ONES WE SEE AROUND HERE, THE SOUTHEASTERN FIVE LINE SEAN, THIS FENCE HAS HELD AT WELL, HOW LONG AGO DID WE BUILD THIS THING? IT'S OVER 20 YEARS AGO, MAN.
I NOTICED YOU HAVE THIS PROTECTIVE THING ON THE TOP OF THE TWO PEOPLE FROM, YOU KNOW, CUTTING THEMSELVES ON IT OR SOMETHING.
THE EDGE OF THE ALUMINUM IS VERY SHARP.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF KIDS THAT COME THROUGH HERE, BUT THE IDEA OF COURSE IS, YOU KNOW, IS JUST A FUNNEL STUFF IN AND THEY HIT THE FENCE.
SO THEY CRAWL ALONG UNTIL THEY FALL INTO A BUCKET.
CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND FOR SURE.
SO HERE'S NOT A SNAKE, BUT THERE'S A CUP OF BOY.
THERE'S SEVERAL OF THEM IN HERE.
WE GET A LOT OF THOSE AROUND LOOKS LIKE MAYBE I CAROLINA WOLF, SPIDER, AND THESE YOU'RE OKAY TO HOLD IT ON THE SPONGE, BUT THEY CAN'T BITE.
I'M GOING TO LET THIS GO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.
AND SO WE USE THESE SPONGES IN THE BOTTOM OF EACH PITFALL TRAP TO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF MOISTURE IN IT.
SO ANIMALS CAN GET A DRINK IF THEY NEED IT.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IN CASE WE GET A LOT OF RAIN AND A LITTLE SLOW.
I KNOW THAT'S YOUR SIDE, BUT I WANT TO LOOK IN YOUR BOOK.
OH LOOK, TONY, YOU GOT A SNAKE DOWN HERE.
AND SO YOU SEE A LOT OF THOSE HERE, DON'T YOU? YEAH.
WE'VE MAINLY CATCH THEM IN THESE DRIFT FENCES SOMETIMES UNDER A COVER OBJECT.
SO THIS IS, UH, THIS IS NOT A BABY SNAKE.
AND ACTUALLY WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THESE IS THEY'RE ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY VENOMOUS.
SO THEY SET A PAEDS AND THEY HAVE VENOMOUS SALIVA THAT THEY USE TO SUBDUE CENTIPEDES AND OTHER, OTHER INVERTEBRATES THAT THEY HAD.
IT'S STILL A LITTLE UNEASY KNOWING THAT THEY'RE VENOMOUS WHEN YOU HOLD IT IN YOUR HAND.
SO TOTALLY CLEAR YOU'RE HANDLING A VENOMOUS SNAKE, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT I LOVE BEST ABOUT 10 TILA.
IS THERE THE FOOD FOR THE SNAKE WE'RE LOOKING FOR? SO WE'RE CALLING THIS A 10 TILA, BUT I GUESS COMMON NAME IS SOUTHEASTERN CROWN SNAKE BECAUSE OF THAT RING AROUND THE NECK, RIGHT THERE IN THE BLACK HEAD.
WELL, I'M GONNA LET THEM GO ON THIS.
[00:05:01]
ON THAT SIDE OF THE FENCE.I'M GONNA LET HIM GO OVER HERE.
THIS IS WHY WE CAME ALL THE WAY HERE.
THESE THINGS ARE JUST AMAZING.
SEE, YOU CAUGHT TWO OF THESE LAST WEEK, RIGHT? RIGHT HERE.
ONE WAS MOVING ON THE SURFACE.
THE OTHER ONE WAS UNDERNEATH THE COVER OBJECT AND NOTICE.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M REALLY KEEPING MY HANDS BACK.
HE JUST DOWN HERE ON THE GROUND, IT LOOKS LIKE HE MAY, HE MAY BE RIGHT BACK IN THE BUCKET.
IS THIS SO IS THIS PRETTY TYPICAL AND COLORATION INSTEAD OF TO WHAT YOU SEE? YEAH.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE SEE AROUND HERE.
AND I REMEMBER SEEING A COUPLE AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO AND UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T CATCH CORAL SNAKES VERY OFTEN.
I MEAN, THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY, THEY'RE EITHER SUPER SECRETIVE OR RARE OR BOTH UNDERGROUND A LOT THAT THAT'S THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN WE SEE THEM.
APRIL AND OCTOBER SEEM TO BE THE MONTH, RIGHT.
SO THEY HAVE A NEUROTOXIC VENOM.
UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IF YOU GET BIT BY ONE AND IT GETS IN YOUR SYSTEM, IT'LL START TO PARALYZE.
AND YOU'VE GOT TO HANDLE THESE VERY CAREFULLY AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HANDLE IT ON A HOOK AND KEEPING OUR DISTANCE BECAUSE THE BITE FROM ONE CAN BE VERY, VERY DANGEROUS AND REALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER PIT VIPERS THAT WE HAVE THAT HAVE HEMATOPOIETIC VENOM THAT DESTROYS BLOOD AND MUSCLE TISSUE.
BUT WHAT A TREAT, I MEAN, YOU JUST DON'T SEE THESE VERY OFTEN AND YOU'VE CAUGHT HIM IN THIS DRIFT FENCE, UH, NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, RIGHT.
I REMEMBER, UH, I'VE FOUND, UH, THREE THAT ENDED UP IN THE SAME SWIMMING POOL AND THINK OF IT AS SWIM POOLS, JUST A BIG PITFALL TRAP.
AND WHAT HAD HAPPENED IS A FEMALE CORAL SNAKE CRAWLED INTO THE POOL AND TWO MALES.
THE NEXT TWO DAYS, I GUESS, WERE FALLING.
HER SAND WENT RIGHT IN THE POOL TO SO THERE'S BRIGHT COLORS.
THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING TO STAY BACK.
UM, WE'VE ALL HEARD RED NEXT TO YELLOW CAN KILL A FELLOW.
UM, BUT I ACTUALLY HAD A SECOND GRADER TELL ME, JUST THINK OF A TRAFFIC LIGHT REDS NEXT TO YELLOW.
GOOD WAY TO TELL THE OTHER THING IS, SO YOU HAVE ALL THREE OF THE TRI-COLORED SNAKES HERE.
YOU HAVE SCARLET KINGS, WHICH ARE MIMICS OF THIS SCARLET SNAKES AND CORAL SNAKES.
SO YOU HAVE ALL THREE AND YOU'VE GOTTEN PROBABLY ALL THREE IN DISTRICT OFFENSE.
SO YOU REALLY DO HAVE TO KNOW YOUR COLORS.
YOU'RE CHECKING THE STRIP TO OFFENSE FOR SURE.
AND YOU KEEP SAYING ALL THE RHYMES OVER IN YOUR HEAD BEFORE YOU REACH IN AND TRY TO GET, AS I ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE RHYME, YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T PICK.
SO THESE GUYS ARE SNAKE EATERS.
AND SO YOU THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY 10 TELE AND SCARLET.
WELL SOUTHEASTERN CROWN SNAKES AND SCARLET, SORRY.
KING SANK, SCARLET SNAKES, LITTLE RED BELLIED SNAKES.
UM, HE WAS REAL COMFORTABLE GOING DOWN THAT BUCKET.
HE MIGHT BE CRUISING UP DOWN THE FENCE, TRY AND EAT THE STUFF THAT WE'RE CATCHING.
WELL, THE OTHER THING IS A VERY DIFFERENT BUILD THAN A PIT VIPER.
AND ALTHOUGH THE HEAD'S A LITTLE BIGGER THAN THE NECK, IT'S NOT THAT CLASSIC PIT VIPER TRIANGULAR HEAD.
SO YEAH, THEY DON'T LOOK AS DANGEROUS, BUT UM, POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU, IF YOU HANDLE IT.
OH, THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THESE IS THEY'D HAVE TROUBLE BITING YOU AND UNLESS YOU'RE PICKING UP AND MESSING WITH IT, IF YOU LEAVE IT ALONE, IT'S GOING TO LEAVE YOU ALONE.
SO WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS GUY OUT AND DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS ONE BACK TO THE LAB TO GET ANY DATA FROM IT? SOMEONE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN GETTING DATA FROM IT.
SO WE NEED TO CATCH HIM AND PUT HIM IN A BUCKET.
THAT IS THE TOUGH ONE TO CATCH THE NEXT.
ONE'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER, BUT WE NEED TO SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND GO DOWN THE HILL A LITTLE.
SO LET'S HEAD DOWN THE DRIFT FENCE AND HEAD DOWN TO THE POND.
I KNOW THAT'S A BIG STEP RIGHT THERE.
THIS IS, YOU'VE SEEN HIM HERE BEFORE HIM AND SHIT.
IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S YOU SHOULD PULL HIM BACK THIS WAY.
SO IS THIS, IS THIS ABOUT THE SIZE YOU TYPICALLY SEE? OH, THAT'S A GOOD SIZE ON IT.
[00:10:01]
THIS ONE'S TRYING TO GET AWAY, WHICH IS WHAT THEY TYPICALLY DO, RIGHT? YES.BUT A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL POP THAT MOUTH OPEN AND GAIT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THIS ONE SEEMS MORE INTERESTED IN THAN CRAWLING AWAY THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THIS IS OUR, THIS IS A CLASSIC PIT VIPER, ISN'T IT? BUT THAT, THAT BIG HEAD AND THAT THICK BODY.
YOU GOTTA BE A LITTLE CAREFUL AND I'M STAYING WAY OUT OF STRIKING RANGE.
BUT LOOK AT THAT AND BAM TO THE EYE, TO, AND UNTIL COD MOUSE, THERE IS THAT MOUTH GAPING.
SO A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL POP THAT MELT OPEN IN THE INTERIOR OF THE MOUTH IS, IS LIGHT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THEY GET THAT NAME.
SO SEAN, THESE GUYS HAVE A TERRIBLE REPUTATION, DON'T THEY? YEAH.
PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE AGGRESSIVE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S NOT REALLY TRYING TO CHARGE US AND ATTACK US IF ANYTHING, IT WANTS US TO LEAVE IT ALONE AND LET IT GO ON ITS WAY.
I HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF PEOPLE BEING ATTACKED BY COTTON, ALSO CHASED BY COTTON MILLS.
THEY GENERALLY TRY AND GET AWAY.
NOW THEY WILL POP THAT MOUTH OPEN.
SOMETIMES THEY'LL VIBRATE THE TAIL A LITTLE BIT LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE OTHER PIT VIPERS KILLING RATTLESNAKES WILL DO, BUT THEY GENERALLY DO JUST LIKE THIS.
I THINK PART OF IT IS THEY'RE NOT A FAST SNAKE, SO SOMETIMES THEY'LL JUST STAND THEIR GROUND AS OPPOSED TO RUNNING.
BUT THIS ONE DEFINITELY SEEMS INTENT ON GETTING AWAY.
THE SMELL I CAN SMELL THE MUSCULAR IN HERE.
THE, THE MUSK IS REALLY, IT'S NOT THAT BAD.
AND THIS ONE'S KIND OF A DARK ONE.
SO SOME OF THE ONES WE SEE OUT HERE ARE A LOT LIGHTER AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY, UH, VARIABLE.
BUT THIS IS SO THE ONES YOU SEE OUT HERE, SOMETIMES A LOT OF THEM ARE, SOME ARE DARK LIKE THIS, BUT MAJORITY OF THEM ARE LIGHTER.
SO THESE GUYS HAVE A VERY DIET, THEY EAT ANYTHING FROM FISH AND FROGS TO OTHER SNAKES.
UM, I'VE HEARD FISHERMEN TALK ABOUT THEM COMING UP AND TRY AND EAT THEIR STRING OF FISH.
THEY HAVE, I MEAN, THEY'LL EVEN EAT KERRY.
AND IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS I ONCE FOUND ONE THAT WAS SWALLOWING A ROADKILL WATER SNAKE.
SO THEY EAT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING, WHICH IS REALLY HELPFUL TO BE THAT, THAT MUCH OF A GENERALIST IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU EAT.
I'M GOING TO BACK THIS GUY UP JUST, YEAH.
SO THE AVERAGE SIZE THAT WE SEE AROUND HERE, USUALLY UP TO ABOUT THREE FEET, BUT I HAVE SEEN SOME, A LITTLE BIT BIGGER AND OTHER AREAS.
THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE WHERE WHEN PEOPLE SEE THEM, THEY'RE 10 FEET LONG AND THE REALITY IS, YEAH, THERE ARE THREE, THREE, A FOUR FOOT, FOUR FOOT.
IT WOULD BE OUR REALLY BIG COTTONELLE FOR SURE.
WELL, SEAN, THIS HAS BEEN MY GOLD TIME WAITING AROUND CATCHING SNAKES IN THE SWAMP.
AND UM, AND WE MANAGED TO GET THE TWO SPECIES WE WERE LOOKING FOR HERE.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING US COME, HANG OUT WITH YOU FOR THE DAY.
BUT ALSO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN EDUCATING KIDS ABOUT SNAKES WELL AND HABITATS AND ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS AND PLANS.
IT WAS A PLEASURE HAVING YOU AND WE NEED TO DO IT AGAIN SOMETIMES.
IT CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VENOMOUS COTTON MOUTH IN NON VENOMOUS WATER SNAKES.
NOW WE'RE HERE AT BEIDLER FOREST AND NOT ONLY ARE THERE A LOT OF COTTON MILLS HERE, BUT THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF WATER SNIPES.
SO WHAT I THOUGHT WE WOULD DO WAIT AROUND, LOOK FOR SOME AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS HOPING TO DO.
I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TWO PRETTY MUCH IN THE SAME SPOT WHEN HE GRABBED MY STICK.
MAKE SURE THERE ISN'T ANOTHER ONE.
OF COURSE YOU GOTTA BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL THAT YOU'RE NOT GRABBING.
YOU'RE NOT GRABBING A COTTON OFF.
OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE, THESE ARE HARMLESS WATER SNAKES.
I WOULD NOT GRAB IT LIKE THIS, BUT THESE ARE BROWN WATER SNAKES.
THIS IS
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS ONE GOT ME A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT TOO BAD.
AND WE'VE GOT, WHAT'S PROBABLY AN ADULT MALE.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE'S A JUVENILE.
IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE A YOUNG MALE AND I'M BLEEDING A LITTLE BIT SOFTER THE BLOOD ANYWAY.
UM, BROWN WATER SNAKES LOOK A LOT LIKE COTTON SMELLS, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS WE CAN TELL RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT THEY'RE NOT ONE IS THE PATTERN'S NOT QUITE RIGHT.
THEY'VE GOT A VERY SYMMETRICAL PATTERN.
ALSO THE HEAD IS QUITE DIFFERENT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FAIRLY WIDE HEAD, IT'S NOTHING LIKE A COTTON MOUTH COTTONELLE.
THESE HAVE A SORT OF NARROW HEAD AND THEIR EYES ARE REAL FUNNY ON THIS SPECIES.
THEY'RE KIND OF CLOSE TOGETHER AND JUST A VERY DIFFERENT TODAY.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A BIG CHUNKY
[00:15:01]
SNAKE.IF THIS WAS A COTTON MOUTH, MUCH HEAVIER COTTON BALLS WOULD BE MUCH, MUCH, MUCH THICKER IN THE BODY.
ALSO, THE OTHER THING YOU NOTICE IN WATER SNAKES IS THEY HAVE THESE SORT OF LABIAL BANDS.
SO ON THE LIPS, THEY ALMOST LOOK LIKE THEY'RE STITCHED TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TALK MILLSTONE, HAVE IT ALL.
NOW, A COUPLE OF OTHER QUICK THINGS I CAUGHT COTTONELLE SALTS HAVE A TENDENCY TO VIBRATE THEIR TAILS.
IF THEY GET AGITATED, THEY'LL SORT OF WIGGLE THAT TAIL AND SHAKE IT.
THE WATER SNAKES ARE JUST NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
SO NOT ONLY THE FINISHED STATE, PRIMARILY CATFISH, AND ONE OF THE TOUGH THINGS ABOUT EATING THE CAT FISH IS THEY HAVE SPINES IN THEM.
SO IF THESE GUYS GRAB A CATFISH AND SWALLOW IT, THE SPINES I'VE ACTUALLY CAUGHT INDIVIDUALS WHERE THE SPINES WERE STICKING OUT OF THE SIDE OF THE, OF THE SNAKE AND EVENTUALLY THE ANIMAL DIGEST THE REST OF THE FISH AND THE SPINES FALLOUT OR, OR GET INGESTED AND EVACUATED.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO PUT THESE GUYS BACK ON THE LIMB, BUT I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA SLIDE RIGHT BACK IN.
THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE HE'S GOING, THEY'RE REALLY A QUARTER.
MAYBE THIS NOW THEY'RE READY TO GO.
SO I JUST KIND OF PEEKED OVER THE SIDE HERE AND THERE'S ANOTHER BROWN WATER SNAKE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY ON THE BASE OF THE BOARDWALK AND IT'S JUST COILED UP AT THE BASE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY SAFE PLACE TO GET UP HIGH AND BASQUE I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST ANGLE HE SEES ME ALREADY.
THERE'S ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN BORN LAST SUMMER.
SO THIS IS ITS FIRST SPRING AND BROWN WATER SNAKES ARE LIVE BORN.
SO SOMETIMES IN BIG GROUPS, I MEAN THERE MAY BE 20 OR 30 BABIES OR MORE.
AND IF THEY'RE FEMALE, SOME OF THE FEMALES GET, YOU KNOW, THEY APPROACHED FOUR FEET LONG AND VERY HEAVY BODY.
BUT IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD TO SEE THE LITTLE GUYS OUT WE'RE IN THIS YEAR.
MAYBE THIS IS A PLACE THAT SNAKE RIGHT THERE.
SO HERE IS BOY, THIS IS A PRETTY BANDED WATER.
SO THERE'S ANOTHER NON VENOMOUS ONE.
OBVIOUSLY THE NOTICE HOW IT FLATTENS THE HEAD OUT.
SO, I MEAN, THIS LOOKS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GLANCE AT IT THAT WAY, IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A COTTON MOUTH, BUT LOOK AT THOSE STRIPES IN THE FACE AND THAT'S A DEAD GIVEAWAY THAT IT'S ONE OF THE WATER SNAKES.
BOY HAS HANDSOME, BEAUTIFUL MARKINGS, AND THESE CAN BE VERY DRAB AND VERY DARK, BUT THIS ONE JUST HAS A LOT OF COLOR ON IT.
AND I'M GUESSING BY SIZE BECAUSE MALES DON'T GET NEARLY AS BIG AS FEMALES.
AND THIS HAS A, THE TAIL OF A FEMALE AND IT KIND OF COMES TO A TAPER VERY QUICKLY.
OKAY, HERE, THIS ONE GOES, HEY GUYS, IF YOU LOOK RIGHT HERE, THERE'S A COTTON MOUTH AND I'M GOING TO SNEAK UP AND SEE IF I CAN GET CLOSE.
SO THIS IS A CLASSIC PIT VIPER NOTICE HEAVY BODY, AND IT'S GOT A VERY BIG SORT OF WEIRD SHAPED HEAD.
AND COMPARED TO THAT, TO A BROWN WATER SNAKE OR ABANDONED WATER SNAKE, IT ACTUALLY LOOKS QUITE DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THAT BIG HEAD AND MUCH HEAVIER BODY AS WELL.
NOW I'M GOING TO STAY OUT OF STRIKING RANGE, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS A VENOMOUS SNAKE.
I'M GOING TO JUST VERY CAREFULLY PICK THIS ANIMAL UP WITH THE CLAMP AND I'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD GRIP ON IT.
LOOK AT THE WONDERFUL BAND THROUGH THE EYE.
YOU CAN, THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SINISTER LOOK COMPARED TO OTHER SNAKES AND BIG WEDGE SHAPED HEAD.
I MEAN VERY PRETTY, BUT ARE SLIDING DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
THERE'S A PIT BETWEEN THE EYE AND THE NOSTRIL AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS THE TERM PIT VIPER.
THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE IT HAS AN EYE CUP THAT HASN'T SHED OFF.
SO IT PROBABLY CAN'T SEE OUT OF THIS LEFT EYE VERY WELL, BUT THE OTHER EYE LOOKED GOOD.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTICE IS THESE GUYS HAVE AN ELLIPTICAL PUPIL.
THEY HAVE A VERTICAL PUPIL AND THAT'S FOR NIGHT VISION.
AND ALL OF OUR PIT VIPERS HAVE THAT ELLIPTICAL PUPIL.
[00:20:01]
NOW COTTON MILLS EAT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THEY CARRY AND SOMETIMES DEAD SNAKES AND DEAD BIRDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.THEY ALSO EAT FROGS, OTHER SNAKES.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU NOTICE ABOUT COTTON MILLS IS THEY FLOAT ON TOP OF THE WATER WHEN THEY SWIM.
THE WHOLE BODY IS UP OUT OF THE WATER, UNLIKE A WATER SNAKE, WHICH WHIMS WITH JUST THE HEAD OUT OF THE WATER.
YOU KNOW, WE DID PRETTY WELL TODAY.
WE NOT ONLY FOUND A COTTON MOUTH, BUT WE FOUND SOME WATER SNAKES AS WELL.
AND BOY, THEY REALLY, THEY REALLY DO LOOK QUITE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU SEE THEM.
SIDE-BY-SIDE ALL THESE SNAKES ARE IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HERE.
THEY'RE ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT.
AND NONE OF THESE NECKS WERE AGGRESSIVE.
ALL THEY REALLY DO IS JUST TRY AND PROTECT THEMSELVES.
THEY WERE AFTER ONE OF THE MOST COMMON VENOMOUS SNAKES IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
IN FACT, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST COMMON SNAKES PERIOD, BUT EVEN COMMON SNAKES ARE HARD TO FIND THEY'RE CRYPTIC AND THEY TEND TO HIDE THIS IS GREAT HABITAT FOR SNAKES IN GENERAL, AND CERTAINLY COPPERHEAD WOULD USE THIS, BUT IT'S JUST GOOD QUALITY WILDLIFE HABITAT.
WE HAVE SOME LONGLEAF PINE THAT WE PLANTED RECENTLY AND LOTS OF GRASSES, LOTS OF SUNLIGHT, GREAT PLACE FOR SNAKES TO BE, WELL, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME WHITE TAIL DEER AROUND, SO THIS IS A SHED ANTLER.
I MEAN, WHITE TAIL DEER EVERY YEAR WILL SHED THESE ANTLERS AND THEN GROW NEW ONES.
OBVIOUSLY, OBVIOUSLY NOT A COPPERHEAD.
SO OBVIOUSLY NOT A COPPERHEAD, A NON VENOMOUS SNAKE, A BLACK RACER.
AND WE CAN TELL JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.
ONE IS LONG SLENDER SNAKE, AND LOOK HOW, YOU KNOW, THE HEAD'S RELATIVELY NARROW A PIT VIPER, LIKE A COPPERHEAD WOULD HAVE A BIG WITCH.
AND OF COURSE THE PATTERN LOOKS NOTHING LIKE A COPPERHEAD AS WELL, BUT CLASSIC NON VENOMOUS SNAKE ROUND PUPIL, A PIT VIPER IS GOING TO HAVE A VERTICAL PUPIL.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO TELL ANYWAY, LIKE RACERS ARE REALLY, REALLY COMMON HERE.
MAYBE AS COMMON AS COPPERHEADS, BUT MEET LITTLE SNAKES.
SO THIS IS ONE OF MY STUDY SITES AND I PUT THESE SHEETS OF 10 OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY THERE.
IT'S A GOOD WAY TO CATCH SMALL MAMMALS AND LIZARDS AND SNAKES.
THEY DON'T REALLY ATTRACT THESE THINGS, BUT I THINK WHAT IT DOES IS GIVE YOU, GIVES YOU SORT OF A WINDOW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING JUST BELOW THE LEAF LITTER.
THIS ONE ABOUT GOT AWAY FROM ME, BUT AGAIN, NOT A COPPERHEAD BECAUSE I WOULD NOT GRAB A COPPER HEAD LIKE THIS, BUT ONE THAT IS SOMETIMES MISTAKEN FOR A COPPERHEAD.
AND THIS IS A CORN SNAKE IN A BEAUTIFUL CORN SNAKE, FOR SURE.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE BRIGHTLY COLORED THAN A COPPERHEAD IS.
AND AGAIN, THEY HAVE THAT SORT OF SMALLISH HEAD ABOUT THE SAME WIDTH AS THE NECK AND NOT THE HEAVY, CHUNKY BODY THAT PID PIPERS LIKE THE COPPERHEAD TAB.
IF THIS WAS A COPPERHEAD, IT'D BE TWICE THE DIAMETER, AT LEAST CORN SNAKES ARE COMPLETELY HARMLESS.
THEY MICE AND RATS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY NEAT TO HAVE AROUND I'VE BEEN SEEING A COUPLE HANGING AROUND RIGHT IN HERE, MAN, POKE AROUND FOR JUST A MINUTE.
IT'S BRIGHT HERE, BOY, RIGHT UP AGAINST THE TREE.
SO I THINK WHAT HE'S DOING IS MAYBE HE OR SHE IS DOING IS SHUFFLING BACK AND FORTH UNDERNEATH THIS PIECE OF 10.
SEE IF I CAN, I'M GOING TO BRING IT OUT HERE.
THIS IS A PRETTY LITTLE THING FOR SURE.
AND IT'S HARD TO TELL I WAS GOING TO SEE IF I COULD JUST LOOK AT IT AND TELL WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A MALE OR A FEMALE.
LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE A LITTLE FEMALE.
SO THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TYPICAL SIZE.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY AS BIG AS SNAKES AS PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE.
A COMMON SIZE IS ABOUT TWO FEET LONG.
MAKE SURE THIS TIN ISN'T TOO HOT.
SO COPPERHEADS ARE PIT VIPERS AND LOOK AT THAT GREAT BIG HEAD, BIG, WEIRD SHAPED HEAD IN A FAIRLY STOCKY BODY WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO NON VENOMOUS SNAKES.
FOR INSTANCE, NOW THIS ANIMAL'S TONGUE FLICKING COURSE.
THESE GUYS SEE US AS IS DANGER.
[00:25:01]
TO BITE A PERSON.THEY CAN'T SWALLOW A PERSON AND AN ALTERCATION WITH A PERSON IS USUALLY GOING TO END UP AS SOMETHING REALLY BAD FOR THE SNAKE.
SO COPPERHEADS ARE AGAIN, REALLY COMMON.
I MEAN STANDS OUT PRETTY WELL ON THIS, ON THIS PIECE OF 10.
BUT IF WE PUT IT IN A PILE OF LEAVES, IT PRETTY MUCH DISAPPEARS BECAUSE IT'S SO CRYPTIC.
THIS IS AN ADULT, BUT A BABY WOULD LOOK QUITE DIFFERENT.
IT WOULD HAVE A BRIGHT YELLOW TAIL TIP, KIND OF A SULFUR.
IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE A HIGHLIGHTER AND THAT'S CALLED A CALL TO LURE AND THEY USE THAT TO ATTRACT LITTLE FROGS AND LIZARDS AND THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO EAT.
SO THEY WIGGLE THAT ENTICINGLY.
IT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE WORM OR SOMETHING.
THE FROG OR LIZARD COMES INTO INVESTIGATE AND THEY BITE IT AND EAT IT.
NOW, BABY COPPERHEADS FEED ON LITTLE FROGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AS THEY GET BIGGER, THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE MICE AND EVEN SMALL RATS, BUT IT'S KIND OF NEAT.
THEY START EATING ONE THING AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY HAVE TO SWITCH TO BIGGER PREY AS THEY GET BIGGER AND NEED BIGGER MEALS.
SO COPPERHEADS ARE VENOMOUS AND THEY HAVE A PRETTY TOXIC VENOM, BUT NOBODY'S EVER DIED FROM THE BITE OF A COPPERHEAD IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO IT'S PROBABLY THE LEAST DANGEROUS SPECIES WE HAVE THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU'RE BIT BY A COPPERHEAD, YOU NEED TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL AND GET PROPER MEDICAL CARE.
SO WE HAVE MOVED TO A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT HABITAT.
WE WENT DOWN THE ROAD JUST A LITTLE BIT AND WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE CANOPY OVERHEAD AND PLAY SOME BIG TREES HERE, SOME BIG LONG LEAVES, UH, BUT COPPERHEADS LIKE A VARIETY OF HABITAT.
SO THIS HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN A REALLY GOOD SPOT TO FIND THEM.
HERE'S A PRETTY GOOD LOOKING SPOT.
OH, THERE'S ONE, THERE'S TWO LOOK RIGHT HERE.
BOY, THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL TO, TO A KIND OF DIFFERENT LOOKING ONES.
ONE OF THEM'S MORE OF A TAN AND THE OTHER, ONE'S A BIT OF A PINK COLOR.
NOW I'M GOING TO KIND OF PROP THIS UP RIGHT HERE.
BOY, THESE ARE REALLY GOOD LOOKING ANIMALS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE OFTEN SEE TWO TOGETHER.
SO I'LL BET YOU, THIS IS A MALE AND A FEMALE.
SO NOTICE THE PATTERN ON THIS.
IT HAS KIND OF AN HOURGLASS PATTERN.
AND UH, ONE OF MY FRIENDS SAYS THAT IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE HERSHEY'S KISSES AND IT DOES KIND OF FROM THE SIDE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF SNAKES IN THE LOW COUNTRY AND THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
BUT THE REALITY IS NOT ONLY ARE MOST OF OUR SNAKES, NON VENOMOUS, BUT EVEN THE VENOMOUS SPECIES LIKE THESE GUYS, THEY'RE ECOLOGICALLY VERY IMPORTANT.
WE NEED TO HAVE THEM AROUND AND BESIDES THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HERE, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ANIMAL.
THANKS FOR JOINING US ON COASTAL KINGDOM.