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Species Overview

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus), are a State Endangered Species and a Federal Candidate Species. This snake is strongly associated with floodplain habitats along medium to large rivers, especially near river confluences, where they primarily occupy open canopy wetlands, such as sedge meadows, fresh wet meadows, scrub carr and adjacent upland prairies and old fields. Overwintering usually occurs in terrestrial crayfish burrows or rotted out root channels in open canopy wetlands, shrub-carr and lowland hardwood forests. Massasaugas begin to emerge in spring, usually in early to mid-April when soil temperatures average 510 F, at 15 cm depth, within overwintering habitats. They remain active into early or mid-October, depending on air temperatures. This species breeds primarily in August and females give birth in late July through August the following year.

 Read More At    

                 http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/biodiversity/index.asp?mode=info&grp=49&speccode=arade03011

Written by :

drr1289