Snake mortality and cover board effectiveness along exclusion fencing in British Columbia, Canada

Authors

  • Dana M. Eye
  • Jared R. Maida Environmental Science Program, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8 Canada
  • Owain M. McKibbin Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Protected Areas Unit, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, British Columbia V4K 3N2 Canada
  • Karl W. Larsen Department of Natural Resource Science, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8 Canada
  • Christine A. Bishop Environment and Climate Change Canada, Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Wildlife Research Division, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, British Columbia V4K 3N2 Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v132i1.2031

Keywords:

Coluber, conservation, Crotalus, Great Basin Gophersnake, Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, Pituophis, reptiles, Western Yellow-bellied Racer

Abstract

We report on snake mortalities along exclusion fencing in southern British Columbia, showing Western Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber constrictor mormon) deaths were disproportionately higher than our encounter rates with the species within the snake community. This suggests racers were susceptible to fence mortality more so than Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus o. oreganus) or Great Basin Gophersnakes (Pituouphis catenifer deserticola). Datalogger recordings revealed temperatures under cover boards were well above the tolerable temperatures of the three snake species, although the boards appeared to temper ambient heat more efficiently than natural vegetation. We caution that the effects of fencing and cover boards may vary across ecosystems and snake species.

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Published

2018-08-28

Issue

Vol. 132 No. 1 (2018)

Section

Articles

License

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