Going out with a bang...Long Winded Post

[Stefan-A]

Also, the decline of snake populations, in the simplest mathematical sense, means that less snakes are going to meet and reproduce. What is the harm in assisting this otherwise natural action?

It's pointless if it doesn't correct the underlying problem. Why are they scarce in the first place? Releasing more snakes might cause the whole population to collapse instead of decline.

[RZL36]

As I said in the beginning of my post, breeding must be worked in concert with habitat reconstruction.

How would it make them decline if there was habitat reconstruction?

Not trying to be snarly, just trying to figure out a little more about the subject.

[Stefan-A]

Once habitat restoration is completed then the natural population would grow, provided that it hasn't reached that critical level where not enough females become gravid to ensure population growth. If it has, then it would be necessary to improve their chances of finding a mate. Releasing offspring from a few individuals on the other hand would reduce the genetic diversity and place unnecessary pressure on a recovering population.

Like I said some time ago, it's a problem that we encounter all the time with for example salmon and trout. The wild population doesn't really benefit from the release of captive bred fish, even with restoration of the rivers where they mate. I'm just using this as an example because people have tried to get it to work for decades with very little success.

[RZL36]

Stefan,
Minä ymmärrän

I totally see what you mean by, "Releasing offspring from a few individuals on the other hand would reduce the genetic diversity and place unnecessary pressure on a recovering population."

What if the released snakes were put into multiple areas, so there wouldn't be a particular genetic line taking over? I am thinking more about how useful, selective captive breeding could really help locale.

In any event, I went out herping about 10 times over the summer and found very little. Disturbingly little. So I am desperately trying to figure out what is going on and if there is anything I can do to ensure the survival of snakes in my little area.

[KITKAT]

Stefan,
Minä ymmärrän

I totally see what you mean by, "Releasing offspring from a few individuals on the other hand would reduce the genetic diversity and place unnecessary pressure on a recovering population."

What if the released snakes were put into multiple areas, so there wouldn't be a particular genetic line taking over? I am thinking more about how useful, selective captive breeding could really help locale.

In any event, I went out herping about 10 times over the summer and found very little. Disturbingly little. So I am desperately trying to figure out what is going on and if there is anything I can do to ensure the survival of snakes in my little area.

Do anything you can to enrich the environment for them. Encourage the development of mitigation ponds, prairie flower plantings, leaving oldfields un-mowed, placing boards or insulated box hides in areas around water, managing resources in your area to reduce pesticide use and increased habitat for frogs and small fish.

Work with your local land trust to set aside undeveloped lands. Not familiar with land trusts? Go to APPALACHIAOHIOALLIANCE.ORG for one example. For your own area, go to The Land Trust Alliance and ask them about your area...

[zooplan]

It's pointless if it doesn't correct the underlying problem. Why are they scarce in the first place? Releasing more snakes might cause the whole population to collapse instead of decline.

A wild population may collapse only by 3 reasons:
too less indiviuals
too many predators
too little resources (habitat, food, water)
When a population grows more than the habitat can host, individuals would be forced to migrate.

[Stefan-A]

We're not simply talking about a wild population, we are talking about a wild population that's already declining due to a lack of resources (habitat, for example) and then suddenly subjected to increased competition for those resources. The carrying capacity would be exceeded even further and the population would collapse as a result.

First, the amount of resources would plummet and the mortality rate would skyrocket as a result. That alone can make the population collapse. If that doesn't happen, you'll still have a population with a need to migrate and because of the previous sudden increase in the use of the resources in the area, the area would now be able to hold even fewer individuals than before, exacerbating their situation. And fewer individuals could very well lead to the population reaching that critical level.

But if the habitat is restored, the population will recover on its own, at a more reasonable rate. Provided that there still are enough individuals left.

[adamanteus]

I thought we were talking about catching one pair of non-threatened snakes, keeping them and breeding them for a single season, then releasing the (uncontaminated)adults and babies back into their original environment. Isn't that what started this off?

[Stefan-A]

Good point. Thank you, James.

[adamanteus]

I still can't see anything wrong with that!