Welcome to the 7th edition of Marsh Musings. We have greatly appreciated the feedback we have received from all of you. Who would have thought that folks would actually read about our adventures? We will keep them coming as long as you keep reading them!

So far, we have only written about two taxa: birds and mammals. We figured it was due time to throw a reptile into the mix, so this week we will be talking about the potentially most dangerous animal at Cheyenne Bottoms. This type of reptile is the only venomous snake found in this part of Kansas and it has many names, including black snapper, swamp rattler, and ground rattler, but around here is most commonly referred to as the massasauga rattlesnake.

Now wait one minute! You are telling me there are rattlesnakes out at the Bottoms?

The answer is yes….and there are lots of them. To many, the idea of rattlesnakes and the mass quantity of water (or lack thereof right now) at Cheyenne Bottoms does not seem to fit, but massasauga rattlesnakes are no strangers to wetlands. Even their name is tied to wetlands, as massasauga in Chippewa means "great river-mouth." Now while massasaugas can be found in a variety of habitats, including prairies and rocky hillsides, they seem to reach peak abundance in the grassy wetlands at Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Despite their high population numbers at the Bottoms though, many states have the massasauga rattlesnake listed as endangered, including my home state of Illinois where I assisted with a massasauga re-introduction project. Little did I know then that I would encounter them quite frequently while pursuing adventures in the middle of Kansas at Cheyenne Bottoms with Dr. Witt and Smooch.

Throughout our adventures, Dr. Witt and I have noticed that we see more rattlesnakes in the spring and fall compared to the summer. Come to find out, massasaugas actually change their daily cycle with the seasons. They are diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day, in the spring and fall, and are nocturnal during the summer. Although we see rattlesnakes frequently, we also spend a lot of time in the Bottoms. In most cases, people only see them crossing the dike roads in front of their car, but it is important to know what they look like in case you decide to wander around in the vegetation. Massasaugas are a pit viper with pits in front of their eyes, average 18-30 inches in size, have vertical pupils, a diamond shaped head, and of course, a rattle on their tail. There are also several snakes that mimic the rattlesnake at the Bottoms, such as the bullsnake and the great plains rat snake though, so take caution before picking up any snake. Some of them will even shake their tail in the leaves to sound like a rattlesnake, but we will discuss that in a future Musings column.

Now some of you might be thinking to yourself, "isn’t the point of this article to encourage us to visit the Bottoms, because I am sure as heck not going now that I know there are venomous snakes there?" The truth is, being bit by snake, venomous or not, is just as likely as being harmed by some other animal. Massasaugas only attack when they feel threatened, so while they are venomous, they are very shy and will avoid humans at all costs. Massasaugas also feed mostly on rodents and small reptiles, so you have nothing to worry about.

We see visitors to the KWEC get worked up over snakes all of the time, and I certainly understand the fear of them. I grew up in a house where the only good snake was a dead snake. I saw them as creepy, slimy creatures with a bad attitude and avoided contact with them like the plague. I hated snakes until the day I took my job at the KWEC, when I suddenly found myself feeding, holding, and doing programs with snakes. I began to realize that snakes are just misunderstood, and I have since grown quite fond of them. I even have a live massasauga in my office now! So give snakes a try and attempt to see the good in them next time you are enjoying Cheyenne Bottoms.