Released July 13, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Spending more time in the garden and on the hiking trails can increase the chances for an encounter with one of Arkansas’ six species of venomous snakes. There are ways to ensure this kind of close encounter doesn’t turn deadly, say wildlife experts.

Becky McPeake, a wildlife specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, said that being alert to your surroundings is key. If you do come across a snake, don’t try to kill or catch it.

"This is when the most bites occur," McPeake said.

Hikers, gardeners and others whose jobs and hobbies have them spending time outside should learn to identify Arkansas’ venomous species. Four are found statewide: copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake and Western pygmy rattler. The coral snake is found in southern Arkansas, and the Western diamondback rattlesnake is native to the Ouachita and Boston Mountains.

You can avoid snakebites by taking the following steps:

• Avoid places where snakes live, including tall grass, brushy or rocky areas, fallen logs, bluffs, swamps, marshes and deep holes in the ground.

• Watch where you step and where you sit when outdoors.

• When walking through tall grass or dead leaves, poke at the ground in front of you with a long stick to scare away snakes.

• Wear loose, long pants and high, thick leather or rubber boots.

• Never handle a snake, even if you think it is dead. Recently killed snakes may still bite by reflex.

Snake bites require immediate medical attention, McPeake said. The wound can be washed with soap and water or alcohol quickly, but get to a hospital as soon as possible for treatment. If the species is unknown, try to remember details of what the snake looks like so it can be identified as venomous or non-venomous.

"A venomous snake bite will feel like the worst wasp sting you ever had, while a non-venomous bite will feel more like a pin prick," McPeake said. The only exceptions are coral snakes which do not have fangs. But because of their secretive nature, contact with coral snakes is rare with few reported fatalities from their bites.

Most snake bites occur from rattlesnakes and copperheads. However, according to national data, the risk of death is higher from bee stings or lightning strikes than from snakebites. Herpetologists who study snakes in their habitat report oftentimes snakes don’t bite even when stood on accidentally. "I’ve heard many stories of close encounters from foresters and others who spend a lot of time outdoors, but only one instance where someone was actually bitten," says McPeake.

Despite the fear they inspire, snakes are critical to the ecosystem and provide control of pests such as rats and mice. Steven Beaupre, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Arkansas, said that as urban areas grow, the habitat of these vital reptiles is being reduced, which can remove a delicate part of our ecosystem.

"I think about our ecosystem like a Jenga tower of species that are independent," Beaupre said. "As we remove blocks we risk the collapse of the entire system … the intact function of ecosystems is what keeps our human population alive."

Some laws help protect the delicate balance. In Arkansas, it’s illegal to kill any snake, unless they "pose a reasonable threat or endangerment to persons." An example of a reasonable threat is a snake in the front yard where children are playing; it’s not seeing a snake in the woods while on a walk, McPeake said.

The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture. For more information on snakes in Arkansas, contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for a free "Arkansas Snake Guide" (800) 364-4263 or check the Internet at http://www.agfc.com/pdfs/dfm/arkansas_snake_guide.pdf.

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http://www.uaex.edu/news/july2007/0713rattle.htm

Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207, ljames@uaex.edu