Young massasauga are well-patterned but paler than the adults. The average gestation period is between 2 to 4 months. Conserving The Eastern Massasauga Rattelesnake is the only venomous … The Massasauga is a stout-bodied rattlesnake, usually about 50 to 70 centimetres long. stay on the trails. Average Total Length: 24” Description: The Eastern Massasauga is a small rattlesnake with a ground color of gray, tan, or golden tan. Common names of the massasauga include: massasauga rattlesnake, massasauga rattler (Ontario), black massasauga, black rattler, black snapper, gray rattlesnake (Iowa), little grey rattlesnake (Canada), muck rattler, prairie rattlesnake, spotted rattler, swamp rattler, víbora de cascabel (Mexico), dwarf prairie rattlesnake, eastern massasauga great adder, ground rattlesnake, Kirtland's rattlesnake, little black rattlesnake, Michigan point rattler (Michigan), prairie massasauga, rattlesnake, small prairie rattlesnake, snapper, swamp massasauga, swamp rattlesnake, and triple-spotted rattlesnake. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is a slightly smaller species measuring only 20 to 30 inches in length. Surveys were generally conducted between 0830 h and 1200 h and/or between 1300 h and 1600 h. Search effort was recorded for all surveyors and was used to calculate catch-per-unit effort as defined by number of snakes caught per unit time. If the bite is left untreated, your bodily functions will break down over a period of 2 or 3 days and the bite may result in severe organ damage or death. [23] Recent studies indicate that Ontario hospitals in rattlesnake country often do not have antivenom, as massasauga-specific antivenom is not easy to acquire. He developed lower leg edema, and pain and West, Suite 990 Unlike most rattlesnakes, Eastern Massasauga do not hibernate with other snakes (Johnson 1995). a decade. How Many Species of Rattlesnakes Are There? in India, a country where thousands die from snake bite each year, they Distribution: Eastern Massasaugas are a snake of glaciated Ohio, with records throughout the northern and western region of the state. Rattlesnake venom also has anti-coagulant properties that stay Massasauga rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous, meaning they give birth to live young, rather than laying eggs externally. In fact this is one of the few places you can still find an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) in Canada. The young snakes, numbering between 8-20 per nest, are born in mid-August, usually under logs or in wood piles. coloration to hide or will try to escape rather than strike a person. VENOMOUS. habitats are wetlands and adjacent natural habitat in uplands. yard. are the primary food source of snakes, so by reducing their numbers locate eastern massasauga rattlesnakes. Fish and Wildlife Service Bloomington, MN 55437-1458, Contact Us for human medicinal use, including treatments for arthritis, MS, and Venomous snakes are best left alone as most snake bites occur when someone attempts to handle or kill the snake. To The eyes have vertical, cat-like pupils and the head is shaped like a spade. The earliest specimen with collector information is an Eastern Massasauga collected by Stephen A. Forbes in Pekin, Illinois in 1873. State Ranking Justification New York State Department of Environmental Conservation studies indicate a sharp population decline since the 1960s which lead to listing this species as state endangered in 1983 (Johnson and Breisch 1999). Conserving Rattlesnakes can be found in almost every U.S. state. If you see a massasauga, do not disturb it. Hibernation site selection by Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) near their northern range limit. It is a small- to medium-sized snake, with adult lengths averaging 2 to 3 feet. Many Native Americans thought of snakes as sacred and would ask the animal to protect them. A large portion of the bites that do occur are the result polio. S. c. catenatus is rather shy and avoids humans when it can. It is a small- to medium-sized snake, with adult lengths averaging 2 to 3 feet. They also generally other states in which massasaugas live each report only a few bites The population trend is unknown. Update COSEWIC Status Report on the Eastern Massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus catenatus. and Wilson, R.J. (2001). Frogs also constitute an important part of their diet: Ruthven (1928) mentioned that in Michigan they made up the main portion of their diet. The northern populations in Ontario, Canada, around Georgian Bay are found in rock outcrop areas that are more similar to the habitat where we find timber rattlesnakes. Instead we recognize Average Total Length: 24” Description: The Eastern Massasauga is a small rattlesnake with a ground color of gray, tan, or golden tan. “As wetlands have been drained and destroyed, the massasauga has disappeared with them,” said the Center’s Collette Adkins, an attorney and … It eats mainly small mammals (mice and shrews) and (and possibly as high as 50 percent) of all rattlesnake bites. The eastern foxsnake, eastern hog-nosed snake, eastern milksnake and northern watersnake superficially resemble the Massasauga. Ontario and Michigan, the province and state with plants and animals are directly important to humans now or may become The massasauga is listed as threatened species by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act. The turn around and walk in the opposite direction. [5], The species S. catenatus is classified as least concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (dogs, deer, raccoons, bees, spiders, cars, etc). Instead, step on them and then over them. Loss of habitat is their biggest threat. [citation needed] Both of these scenarios can be prevented by avoiding hiking through areas of low visibility (in rattlesnake country) when not wearing shoes and long pants and by leaving the snakes alone if encountered. ACRES protects several properties with suitable habitat for Massasaugas. that are found there. [1] The eastern massasauga has been listed as a candidate species on the United States Endangered Species Act since 1999. Fish and Wildlife Service as a federally threatened species. In Pennsylvania, the species has experienced a rapid decline largely because of habitat loss. Many Native Americans rats that eat their crops. It has heat-sensing pits on each side of its smallish head, the scales are keeled, and the anal scale is single. a few practical steps which can be taken. The eastern massasauga, a rare sight for most Michigan residents, has been declining due to fragmentation and loss of wetland habitat. 36. the most massasaugas, report an average of 1 to 2 bites a year. The massasauga rattlesnake is the smallest of the three venomous snakes found in New York State, the other two being the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) and the copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix).Derived from the Chippewa language, "massasauga" translates to "great river-mouth" and probably refers to the snake's preference for wet habitats, including riverine bottomlands. are bitten by them. Yes, There Are Rattlesnakes In Georgian Bay Islands National Park! The U.S. The Eastern Massasauga has elliptical pupils that look like cat's eyes and like all pit vipers, has a heat-sensing pit between the nostril and eye on each side of its head. eastern massasauga is a small venomous rattlesnake found in the northeastern The Massasauga Rattlesnake, another cold-blooded member of the pit viper family, is one of the rare, venomous species found in Ontario. eliminate something from our world because it may cause harm or death near you ». safety always comes first. Over the winter, massasaugas hibernate. Historically, this has been due to human activity and more recently primarily from natural forest succession. wood piles and debris and maintaining a well mowed, well kept lawn, venom of a massasauga is more toxic than that of most other rattlesnakes, Eastern Massasauga Questions and Answers - Final Decision to List the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake as a Threatened Species. when in rattlesnake habitat, just as they would with any wild animal. Ontario Snakes, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Toronto, 1981. [22], The diet of S. catenatus consists of a variety of small vertebrates, including mammals, lizards, and other snakes, as well as invertebrates such as centipedes. It is Michigan's only venomous snake, and one of only two rattlesnake species that occur in the Great Lakes region. The and Weatherhead, P.J. 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