In addition to its common name, massasauga rattlesnake, the venomous snake is also known as the swamp rattler, swamp massasauga, swamp rattlesnake, and triple-spotted rattlesnake, to name a few.
Huron County Wildlife Officer Matthew D. Smith with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Ohio Division of Wildlife caught and released a massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) last week. The researchers collected measurements and other data of the specimen before releasing it to go on its way. It was apparently a rare event in the state as the rattlesnake is rarely seen, let alone captured for data collection by DNR researchers.
The snake was listed as threatened in 2016, one year after the United States Fish and Wildlife Service proposed protections for the species under the Endangered Species Act. The eastern Massasauga rattlesnake is one of the smallest rattlesnakes in the United States. The rarely seen snake, which grows to about 2 to 2 1/2 feet in length, is found in wetland areas in states including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The endangered venomous snakes are also highly susceptible to snake fungal disease.
Snake Fungal Disease Changes Skin Microbiome of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes
11 North American Rattlesnakes
In addition to its common name, massasauga rattlesnake, the venomous snake is also known as the swamp rattler, swamp massasauga, swamp rattlesnake, and triple-spotted rattlesnake, to name a few.
