The PA Fish & Boat Commission has designated the timber rattlesnake (TRs) population on the South Mountain as a Special Protection Area. No take of the species is allowed, even with a valid Venomous Snake Collection permit.
The Bureau of Forestry developed a Timber Rattlesnake Conservation Strategy in 2016 that identifies wanton killing of TRs as one of the main issues contributing to the decline of TR populations.
Public education is an important component of the Conservation Strategy; particularly on the South Mountain where human-snake interactions are more likely. A project surveying and educating recreational users at major trailheads (e.g., Sunset Rocks and Pole Steeple) could help natural resource managers to achieve this conservation goal.
This project is eligible for grants through South Mountain Partnership or other sources.
Contact Aura Stauffer ([email protected]) for more information.