The Truth Behind Rattlesnake Roundups

Rattlesnake roundups are cruel and ecologically damaging events that have taken place in many parts of the United States since the late 1920s. Every year, in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Georgia, thousands of rattlesnakes are captured and slaughtered or used in competitive events in ways that violate the most basic principles of wildlife management and humane living. Though they are often promoted as fundraising events for local civic causes, rattlesnake roundups primarily benefit their organizers and corporate sponsors.

Organizers claim that roundups help rid range and timberlands of a threat to humans and livestock. But this rationale has been amply refuted by physicians, biologists and veterinarians who have conducted studies showing that the number of livestock deaths from rattlesnake bites is negligible, and that, instead of ridding humans of a dangerous pest, rattlesnake roundups actually increase the number of humans bitten.

Rattlesnake roundups promote unhealthy, and potentially dangerous, attitudes toward wildlife. They encourage overexploitation of wildlife, condone cruelty as acceptable behavior, and endorse the attitude that the capture, abuse, and slaughter of potentially dangerous animals are ways to demonstrate courage or skill. Such activities are more accurately described as reckless personal endangerment at the expense of the animal victims, a healthy ecosystem, and the public good.

For many, if not most, rattlesnake roundups, snakes are driven out of their hiding places with gasoline, stored in unhygienic conditions without water or food, and packed tightly into containers for transport to and display at roundups. Many snakes arrive at roundups crushed to death, dehydrated, or starved. Those who survive may be used in cruel public demonstrations and daredevil acts, and are eventually decapitated, an inefficient and cruel method of slaughter for reptiles.

Many herpetologists believe that the first decade of the 21st century will decide the fate of several species of rattlesnakes. We must act now to save remaining rattlesnake populations and gather the knowledge necessary for the development of long-term management strategies. Several species of rattlesnakes could become extinct just as we are beginning to understand their ecological importance.

In the future, we must encourage socially responsible organizations and citizens to understand the cruelty and destructiveness of rattlesnake roundups and their implications for society. As this understanding grows, we can be sure that these events will end, to the benefit of people and wildlife alike.

Rattlesnake roundups take place from January through July in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Georgia. Roundups started as a misguided attempt to rid areas of rattlesnakes, but they have evolved into commercial events that promote animal cruelty and environmentally damaging behavior. Thousands of rattlesnakes are captured and slaughtered, or mistreated in competitive events that violate the basic principles of wildlife management and humane treatment of animals.

No other wild animal in the United States is as extensively exploited and traded without regulation or oversight as the rattlesnake. Several species could become extinct just as we are beginning to understand their ecological importance. Rattlesnakes are important to their ecosystems. They prey on rodents, keeping the populations naturally in check so that the rodents do not cause crop damage or spread disease. Rattlesnakes are also important prey for raptors and other animals. Four species commonly found in roundups are the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the timber rattlesnake, and the western or prairie rattlesnake. 

The timber rattlesnake is listed as endangered or threatened in several states, but no federal or international laws currently protect this species. The western diamondback rattlesnake, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, and the western or prairie rattlesnake are not protected anywhere in their ranges, nor are they protected by any federal or international laws. We must act now to save remaining rattlesnake populations and gather the knowledge necessary for developing long-term conservation strategies.

Most rattlesnakes in roundups are driven out of their dens with gasoline, then stored without water or food in unhygienic conditions, and crammed tightly into containers for transport to and display at roundup events. Many snakes arrive at these events starved, dehydrated, or crushed to death. Those who survive may be used in public demonstrations and daredevil acts. The rattlesnakes are eventually decapitated, a cruel and inefficient method of slaughter for reptiles. 

Rattlesnake collection methods are highly destructive to the habitats of rattlesnakes and other burrow dwellers such as gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, box turtles, coachwhip snakes, pine snakes, southern toads, and gopher frogs, along with burrowing owls, raccoons, opossums, and at least 32 species of invertebrates. The most popular collection method is to spray gasoline or other toxic chemicals into rattlesnake dens and resting places, which can render a burrow uninhabitable for years. Once introduced into the soil, gasoline could contaminate groundwater—the primary water source for many rural communities—thus poisoning wildlife, livestock, and humans. 

Roundups pose other threats to human health, too. Contrary to claims of organizers, roundups increase the number of snake-bite incidents in the host communities. This is due to collection activities and competitive events that bring humans with little or no experience into direct contact with rattlesnakes. The bites that result must be treated with antivenin, thereby depleting the local supply of antivenin available to treat bites that are genuinely accidental and unavoidable.

Another hazard is the snake meat sold at roundups for human consumption. Rattlesnakes at roundups are typically killed under unhygienic conditions, and their meat, often improperly prepared, may be contaminated with Salmonella or other bacteria.

Organizers often attempt to legitimize roundups by claiming that they provide a supply of venom for antivenin, but their venom collection methods do not meet the strict guidelines required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. No U.S. producer of antivenin would knowingly purchase venom collected at rattlesnake roundups. Rather than add to the nation's supply of antivenin, roundups deplete it by encouraging behavior that leads to snake bites. 

Many rattlesnake handlers and roundup organizers attempt to influence public perceptions about snakes with negative misinformation such as false bite statistics. Rattlesnake handlers typically promote their acts as "safety talks" or other sorts of public education. What the public actually sees, however, are demonstrations of extremely unsafe practices, which audience members may try later on their own. Permanent disfigurement or even death could result.

Roundups are a liability to the communities and corporations that sponsor them, as well as to the nonprofit organizations that benefit from them. Hosting communities, sponsoring corporations, and charities that accept proceeds from roundups unwittingly lend these cruel and ecologically unsound events undue credibility. Communities place themselves at financial risk because they may have to cover the cost of medical care for uninsured visitors who may be bitten; they may also face lawsuits or increased criminal activity as unintended outcomes of hosting roundups. 

We hope that communities, corporations, and charities will end their affiliations with roundups once they learn all the facts.

Harmful Effects of Rattlesnake Roundups

Rattlesnake roundups are among the most deliberately cruel public events existing today in the United States. Collection methods include spraying gasoline into the snakes' hiding places and using poles tipped with fish hooks to extract snakes. Roundups end with grotesque scenes of public slaughter.

In between collection and death, snakes suffer extreme neglect and repeated acts of cruelty. They are typically stockpiled, often for months, without food or water, in unhygienic conditions. The snakes may be kept in crates, trash cans, or other cramped containers in which they crush or bite each other. Some snakes die in these containers from capture-related injuries or from dehydration or starvation. Investigators have seen snakes being dropped onto concrete floors from crates several feet above the ground, "putted" with golf clubs while in a coiled position, and made the object of countless other cruel and unnecessary acts. Some handlers sew snakes' mouths shut with wire or fishing line to use them as photo props.

Unfortunately, cruelty issues are not addressed in statutes governing the use of wildlife in any of the states where roundups take place. Laws that specifically mandate that rattlesnakes are to be classified as "animals" and that anti-cruelty laws apply to their treatment are needed in these states. 

Catch and release roundups, primarily practiced in Pennsylvania, involve the capture without the use of toxic chemicals, measuring, and release of native species. While this type of roundup is arguably less harmful than other events, catch and release events pose serious problems. Although the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has been working with roundup organizers to develop guidelines for the humane capture and measuring of snakes, these events offer cash prizes for the longest and shortest copperheads and rattlesnakes, and sometimes for non-venomous species, such as black rat snakes. This cash incentive prompts snake hunters to capture animals illegally before the animals are emerging from their winter denning sites. Early capture is of particular concern in the case of the timber rattlesnake, which has been listed as a candidate for Pennsylvania state "threatened" status for several years. Evidence indicates that timber rattlesnakes are intolerant of regular disturbance of their denning areas and may even abandon an area for up to five years after the end of regular disturbance. Furthermore, it is not possible to ensure that roundup participants release snakes where they were found. 

Extremely rough handling is common during sacking events, including "whipping" the snakes into the bag or folding them nearly double to force them into sacks. These events do not enhance the public's understanding of reptiles, and they involve considerable cruelty to the animals. 

Bites to humans are a regular part of sacking contests—timed, competitive events of teams of two people each, in which one team member pins the snakes and jams them into a bag held by the other team member. A cash prize is usually offered for the team with the fastest time. Extremely rough handling is common in these events, including "whipping" the snakes into the bag or folding them nearly double while forcing them into the sacks. At one roundup, the same 30 snakes were used for approximately 50 teams, and smaller animals used for the children's sacking competition were used nearly 50 times. The venomous division contests used the same 20 western diamondbacks imported from Oklahoma and Texas, as state law prohibits the sacking of rattlesnakes native to Pennsylvania, rotating half of them through for every other team for 30 teams, meaning that each snake was roughly pinned and sacked 15 times during the weekend. These animals were in extremely poor condition, many with broken ribs and jaws.

Daredevil shows—a regular part of roundups in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and New Mexico—glamorize extremely unsafe practices, which some people, particularly children, may imitate. Common daredevil displays include harassing a snake into a defensive position, in which it tries to hide its head beneath its coils, and then picking up the snake with bare hands, sometimes placing it on top of one's head. Another common display is for a handler to get inside a sleeping bag containing rattlesnakes; the bag is then roughly shaken or stomped. Pit attendants frequently harass snakes into striking boot soles or balloons, kick the animals, "stir" snakes seeking refuge in corners, and pin the animals in order to show spectators the rattlesnakes' fangs. 

Daredevil shows involve cruel and unnecessary acts. These shows are often billed as "safety talks," yet they demonstrate unsafe practices that could result in the permanent disfigurement or even the death of the handler. 

Rattlesnake handling acts, or rattlesnake "clubs" typically bill their daredevil displays as "safety talks" or use similar terms implying well meaning public education. However, walking barefoot through rattlesnakes, entering a sleeping bag filled with snakes, or antagonizing the animals into biting one's boots is not going to teach anyone, and particularly not children, anything about safe conduct in rattlesnake country. If anything, it teaches children unsafe practices learned from adults whom they may hold in high esteem or even idolize. It is inevitable that some children witnessing daredevil acts will try such stunts on their own, and permanent disfigurement or even death could be the result. Fortunately, many roundups have done away with daredevil shows and have toned down public displays of cruelty in general. 

Where public snake slaughtering continues, children receive confusing and disturbing messages. At one roundup, handlers in the slaughtering area allowed children to touch the tails of restrained rattlesnakes, which were then brought to the block for decapitation. The handlers then displayed the still-beating hearts of the snakes to the children. One handler proudly pointed out how the still-conscious heads of the snakes continued to attempt to crawl away or bite, and made comments such as, "He's too stupid to know he's dead!" This grotesque form of public entertainment is still a feature of most roundups in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico. Roundups in Georgia and Alabama, as well as those in Freer and Brownwood, Texas, have discontinued the practice.

Apart from the fact that displays of cruelty are degrading to humans, decapitation is a particularly unacceptable method of euthanasia for reptiles. Because their oxygen demand is low, snakes' body parts remain alive for hours, and their severed heads retain signs of consciousness, such as pupil dilation, tongue flicking, and attempts to bite in response to torment from handlers. Western diamondback rattlesnake heads have been know to retain consciousness for up to 65 minutes after decapitation.

At least one roundup has been associated with considerable criminal activity. In 1995 a roundup event was moved from one township to a neighboring township at the insistence of local government, reportedly due to the occurrence of a rape, a throat slashing, a stabbing, and several other violent incidents on the roundup grounds the previous year. At one 1998 roundup, local vendors sold beer and public drunkenness was commonplace; even some of the sacking event contestants were clearly inebriated. 

Promoters commonly claim that roundups provide a service, the collection of antivenin. This claim is false. When the question was posed to well respected toxicologists, the consensus was that no U.S. producer of antivenin would knowingly purchase venom collected at rattlesnake roundups to make antivenin, as there are strict Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for the collection of venom used for this purpose. Furthermore, venom degrades rapidly once it is exposed to air, and venom collected at roundups would be unusable for antivenin.

Corporations that sponsor roundups, as well as charities that benefit from them, may not be aware that roundups endanger human life, cause ecological damage, promote animal cruelty, and disseminate false ecological information.

Anheuser-Busch, maker of Budweiser beer, has repeatedly denied that it sponsors rattlesnake roundups, but its name and corporate logo appeared on the banners strung along the highway leading to the Freer, Texas, roundup, and in the printed program for the 1998 Opp, Texas, roundup. The St. Louis-based company claimed that local beverage wholesalers had taken liberties with the corporate logo, and that they would take steps to rectify the situation. Coca-Cola and Hardee's were both listed as sponsors of the Opp roundup in 1998. Many local franchise outlets of major corporations support roundups by buying paid advertising in roundup programs, and a variety of locally owned companies also advertise in roundup brochures and promotional materials. Corporations that sponsor roundups are perhaps unaware of the numerous problems associated with roundups, such as the potential loss of human life or limb, animal cruelty, public mis-education, and ecological damage. 

Some nonprofit organizations are unaware of the dangers and environmental consequences of rattlesnake roundups and do not see any potential problems with accepting donations from the profits of rattlesnake roundup events. However, knowledge of the facts will enable organizations to evaluate whether or not they wish to accept funds from the proceeds of rattlesnake roundups and, by so doing, risk alienating other supporters.

We have already seen some changes due to shifting public attitudes. Over the years, particularly at the Opp, Alabama, roundup and roundups in Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, and other parts of Alabama, public displays of cruelty have declined. Discontinued practices include stomping contests, in which a rattlesnake is placed in a potato sack and the number of boot stomps necessary to kill it counted, and rattlesnake shoots, in which spectators test their marksmanship on live snakes. In Georgia and Alabama, the number of snakes at roundups is decreasing due to a declining rattlesnake population, the discontinuation of public slaughtering and daredevil shows, and changes in the relationship of roundups and the trade in rattlesnake parts. Clearly, as people shun public displays of cruelty at roundups, organizers will reduce or eliminate them to protect the commercial aspects of the event—the trade in skins and the profits from large crowds. However, although doing away with public displays of cruelty is important, it will do little to reverse the ecologically destructive commercialization of rattlesnakes.

This information was gathered from The Humane Society of the United States