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ROYAL OAK, Mich., July 22, 2009 – The newest babies at the Detroit Zoo arrived with their own rattles. Nine eastern massasauga rattlesnakes were born on exhibit last month at the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles, marking the third time in the past decade the Zoo has successfully bred the species.
The Detroit Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Massasauga Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, a cooperative management plan to ensure genetically healthy, diverse and self-sustaining populations of threatened and endangered species.
The eastern massasauga rattlesnake, Michigan’s only venomous reptile, is considered a “species of special concern” by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and is protected by state law. The snakes are becoming rare in many parts of their former range throughout the Great Lakes area, primarily due to habitat loss and persecution by humans.
“Because many individuals fear snakes, it is important to educate the public and correct misconceptions that massasaugas are a dangerous or aggressive species,” said Director of Conservation and Animal Welfare Scott Carter.
The Zoo provided information to correct misconceptions about the species for brochures and posters available at nature centers and other locations throughout Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario, including at the Zoo.
Found in the Midwest and eastward, the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) typically reaches 30 to 36 inches in length. The snake’s marbled skin has a grayish-brown background and chocolate-brown spots on the sides. The tail has five to seven dark-colored rings above a pale-yellow rattle.
The eastern massasauga rattlesnake babies are currently in an off-exhibit area; however, the mother can be seen at the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles.
The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October (open at 9 a.m. May 1 through Labor Day) – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March. Admission is $11 for adults 15 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 14; children under 2 are free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. Admission is free. For more information, call (313) 852-4056.
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