Population dynamics of a Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) population studied for over 40 years
Tetzlaff, Sasha
Ecological Processes Branch US Army ERDC-CERL
Champaign, Illinois USA
Hileman, Eric
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Mississippi State University
Starkville, Mississippi USA
Davis, Mark A.
Illinois Natural History Survey
Prairie Research Institute
Champaign, Illinois USA
Schuett, Gordon W.
Department of Biology
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia USA
Chiricahua Desert Museum
Rodeo, New Mexico USA
Simon, Matt
New York, New York USA
Brown, William S. Biology Department Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, New York USA
The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) is a long-lived North American pitviper that has slow maturation, infrequent reproduction, and low fecundity. This species is of conservation concern throughout much of its existing range. However, long-term data for adequately characterizing population dynamics to inform conservation management actions are lacking. We are investigating the demography of a Timber Rattlesnake population in New York, USA that William S. Brown initiated studies on over four decades ago. In this area, the species was historically subjected to intense harvesting via a bounty system. Preliminary findings suggest this population experiences roughly decadal cycling in annual apparent survival estimates that range from approximately 0.7 to nearly 1.0. We intend to model additional parameters, such as abundance and population growth, that will be helpful to the ecology and management of this and other populations of C. horridus. Our analysis highlights the importance of long-term data for long-lived species with slow life histories.