About diamond rattlesnakes and the practice of rattlesnake roundups

Too many of these beautiful creatures are treated with cruelty, even though they pose little threat to humans.

From http://www.citizenonline.net/citizen/arc...B9729880522.asp:
 
Bruce Means remains fond of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, even though two of the venomous reptiles have bitten him, once almost fatally.
As one of the nations leading diamondback experts, Means knows that some people will always be uneasy about snakes. He just wishes they would leave them alone.
Means is among a group of environmentalists and animal-rights activists trying to convince sponsors of the nations 28 rattlesnake roundups that the events revile snakes, doom them to cruel treatment and contribute to their decline.
(...) Often portrayed as lethal bushwhackers, diamondbacks are actually passive creatures that rarely move or rattle. Instead of deadly fangs, they usually rely on good camouflage and stillness to avoid contact with humans.
(...) Wildlife biologists say habitat loss is the leading threat to diamondbacks and the ecosystems other creatures. But rattlesnake roundups also contribute to the decline, they say.

I bet if all rattlesnakes were gone, they would be missed even by those who relentlessly hunt and kill them.

07:21 AM