Habitat Restoration for Rattlesnakes

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (EDB) is found throughout the Coastal Plains region of the southeastern U.S. The species historically ranged from eastern Louisiana to southeastern North Carolina, and throughout all of Florida. The species occupies open-canopied habitats, such as long-leaf pine ecosystems which are among the most imperiled habitats globally. Habitat loss, combined with road mortality and human persecution, has led to the range-wide decline of the EDB, prompting calls for the species to be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Numerous barrier islands also support EDB populations, however they are often under extreme pressure from human development and presence (e.g., tourism) that threaten population persistence of EDBs. Jekyll Island, GA is a highly visited (>3 million people/year), semi-developed island, located off the Georgia coastline, that supports an EDB population despite this large human presence. Importantly, this island is currently undergoing extensive habitat restoration in the next 3 years, including reintroduction of prescribed fire, and the conversion of a golf course to native, mari-time grassland in an effort to increase wildlife habitat and connectivity.  The Kohl Wildlife Lab is currently partnering with the Jekyll Island Conservation Department to evaluate the impacts of this habitat restoration on EDB.