Our Wild World

Our Wild World often focuses upon the charismatic and iconic species, their roles within our ecosystems, and how we relate to them. Today, with my guest Bill Rulon Miller, herpetologist and naturalist educator, we’re going to discuss one of our perhaps less charismatic species- the rattlesnake. We’re going to highlight another outmoded and inhumane behavior, Rattlesnake killing contests. These roundups as well as the history of snake bounty hunting and extermination campaigns have impacted rattlesnake populations, and how these negative impacts are leading to states reforming and regulating these hunts. Snakes, particularly the rattlesnakes, like all wildlife up and down the food chain, have important roles in our ecosystems. The changing attitude that people have had towards rattlesnakes. How this influences rattlesnake both their conservation and effects toward changing these roundups from killing to education