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The original idea that started this expedition was "What can I do for a decent science fair project?" This project began its life as a simple science fair project for my freshman year in high school. It has now grown and grown until the science fair is the least of my worries. I have expanded it as a 4-H project; as a presentation for the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium; as a poster presentation for the Ohio Academy of Science; and, most importantly, as a research project for the Division of Wildlife at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). It is now about to become a published paper. This project was not required by my school. I had always been interested in reptiles, and wished to conduct a research project on them. My father met Doug Wynn, a teacher in another school district and a contract herpetologist with Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), through his work. I contacted Doug Wynn and discussed possible ideas for a science fair project with him. He suggested that I conduct a road mortality survey of snakes in the Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area (KPWA) to see if new locations for endangered snakes could be found. He got me in contact with Carolyn Caldwell, also with the ODNR. I have now developed an interest in the factors that determine the number of snakes I am finding on the road. This question has inspired me to continue my research and make it bigger and better. While this question was researched for all four years of the project, many other questions arose from the data as my research progressed. I have been told by many scientists that answers only beget more questions, and I have definitely found this to be true. This research was done in the Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, which is just north of Marion in Wyandot County, Ohio. Two state-listed endangered snakes are found in this wildlife area: the eastern plains garter (Thamnophis radix radix), which in Ohio is only found in the KPWA, and the eastern massasauga (Sisturus catenatus catenatus) (Ohio Endangered Species List, 2002). Other scientists, such as Dalrymple and Reichenbach (1984), have done snake research in the wildlife area, and many have found dead snakes on the road, but before my 2000 road survey, a systematic road survey had not been done in the KPWA. The purpose of this study was to provide information to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to help them make management decisions about endangered snakes. The objective was to find causes for migrations of snakes in temperate regions. |
Serious concerns exist regarding the decline in numbers of threatened and endangered snakes in the KPWA. Snakes in the KPWA include the eastern garter (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis), the eastern plains garter (Thamnophis radix radix), the brown snake (Storeria dekayi), the eastern massasauga (Sisturus catenatus catenatus), Kirtland's snake (Clonophis kirtiandii), the smooth green snake (Liochorophis vernalis), the eastern milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum), the northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon), the redbelly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata), and the black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta). Snakes living in temperate climates must hibernate to survive the winters, so many migrate from where they hunt to hibernating places called hibernacula. Snakes in temperate zones eat and reproduce in the summer, migrate to hibernacula in the fall, hibernate in the winter, and migrate to feeding grounds in the spring. Often they are killed by vehicles if their spring and fall migrations cause them to cross roads.  KPWA sign. To conduct my research, I drove 33 miles of roads in the KPWA twice a week, from August to November in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, and from March to June in 2001 and 2002, each season having about 20 collection dates. I carried a permit issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Wildlife at all times. Time of arrival, odometer, and weather conditions were recorded. If a snake was found, a picture was taken of it next to a ruler; the species and its latitude and longitude, determined by the global positioning system (GPS), were recorded. If a dead endangered snake was found, it would be placed in a plastic bag and the bag numbered to keep track of the snake. If the dead snake was not endangered, it would be taken off the road to prevent recounting. If a live snake was found, the snake would be helped off the road. In the beginning, all dead snakes were collected and preserved to check species and were added to a collection at Ohio State University. Dead endangered snakes were transferred to Doug Wynn. Wynn verified my identifications and checked for Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags that would show whether the snakes had been collected previously. This entire process, from beginning to end, came to be known around my house as "snaking." |
        
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