Wildlife Safety
Any natural habitat has its hazards, and a basic awareness of which ones you might encounter and how to respond to them is the first approach to having a safe and enjoyable outdoor adventure. Clearly, picking up a snake or eating a mushroom you don’t recognize evades common sense, but sometimes the rules need to be restated, especially for children who are not familiar with the outdoors.
Salleyland certainly has its share of plants and animals that can be annoying, noxious, or even dangerous when a person ventures into the swamp, woods, or fields.
Venomous Snakes
Of the more than 50 species of snakes native to the Southeast, only 6 are venomous. Three of the latter (canebrake [aka timber] rattlesnake, copperhead, and cottonmouth) have been found at Salleyland in addition to 18 harmless species. Several general rules are in place for avoiding a serious snakebite from one of the venomous species.
Safety Tips
- Never closely approach or pick up a snake you are not familiar with and cannot identify as harmless with 100% certainty.
- Be cautious when turning over coverboards, logs, rocks, or other ground cover where snakes may be hiding. Do not reach into holes in trees or on the ground without first checking to see that nothing is hiding inside. Be careful when stepping over logs, into vegetation where the ground is not visible, or around firewood log piles where a rattlesnake, cottonmouth, or copperhead might be hiding.
For a citizen scientist attempting to find and document the presence of snakes as well as other herpetofauna, the search must be done safely. While venomous snakes generally do not strike when approached and often do not do so when stepped on, they almost always will bite if they are grabbed, even by accident. A large proportion of the bites to people in the United States result from someone picking up a venomous snake. - Long pants in addition to boots or closed shoes are recommended when walking through the woods or swamp where there may not be a clear view of the ground.
- At night, use a flashlight when walking so that the ground, and a venomous snake if present, is visible where you will be stepping.
- Learn to recognize the venomous species in order to add an extra level of caution to an encounter with a snake at Salleyland. Snakes of the Eastern United States has photographs and information of all native venomous species in the region.
For more information on regional snakes, the following have photographs and reliable information about all native species.
Snakes of the Eastern United States
http://srelherp.uga.edu/snakes/
Poisonous Mushrooms
A high diversity of mushrooms have been found in the wooded areas of Salleyland. All are harmless to touch and most are non-poisonous if eaten. However, a simple rule for wild mushrooms anywhere is that if you are not 100% certain that you can identify it as a non-poisonous species, don’t eat it.
Stinging and Biting Insects
FIRE ANTS
Fire ants are one of the most insidious invasive species of insect that can now been found throughout the Southeast. Avoid stepping on the easily identifiable mounds and be cautious when reaching under coverboards or logs if a fire ant colony is present. Stepping away immediately and brushing off shoes, socks, and trousers is advised.
BEES. WASPS, HORNETS, YELLOW JACKETS
Everyone is fully aware that bees, wasps, and hornets sting and that the surest way to avoid being stung is to not pick up individuals and to stay away from nests when they are encountered. Sometimes a wasp, bald-faced hornet, or yellow jacket nest can be disturbed accidentally, and running away as quickly as possible is the only defense.
STINGING CATERPILLARS
Most moth and butterfly caterpillars are harmless to touch or pick up, including many that look formidable. A few, however, have toxic urticating hairs on the body that can cause a burning sensation and painful sting.
