Hudson Valley among the most rattlesnake-infested areas on the East Coast
Hudson Valley is one of them The five most rattlesnake-infested areas on the Atlantic CoastAccording to World Atlas, a website that publishes content about resources related to travel and other topics.
Within the Empire State, timber rattlesnake It is commonly found in mountainous and rugged regions of southeastern New York, including the Southern Tier, and near the Catskill and Adirondack mountains, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Here’s more information about snake-infested areas of New York:
Hudson Valley, New York
A couple takes in the view from the Perkins Tower in Bear Mountain State Park.
According to World Atlas, the portion of the Hudson Valley with the highest rattlesnake density “lies within the rugged corridor extending from the Hudson Range northward to Bear Mountain State Park and Storm King Mountain. This is the primary habitat of the timber rattlesnake in the northern United States.”
New York considers the timber rattlesnake a threatened species, in part due to unregulated collection, indiscriminate killing and habitat destruction, according to the DEC. But in the Highlands, numbers remain relatively strong due to protected public lands and limited development on much of that land, according to World Atlas.
While steep, fissured bedrock makes up the bulk of reliable shelter in the Hudson Valley, south-facing slopes (there are lots of them) offer critical basking ground in spring and fall. According to World Atlas, the likelihood of encounters is highest between late April and October, as timber rattlesnakes are concentrated on steep ridges and well-used hiking trails overlooking the Hudson River.
Timber Rattlesnakes in New York
The timber rattlesnake sticks out its tongue, sniffs around and looks directly at the camera. The wooden rattlesnake was one of the symbols of the American revolution. Today it is the state reptile of West Virginia.
The timber rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in the Empire State, according to the DEC. A member of the pit viper family, the wood rattlesnake is typically 3 to 4 feet long. They primarily eat squirrels, chipmunks, voles, mice, small birds, and amphibians.
The poison, used primarily to immobilize prey, can be fatal to humans if left untreated. But there are no records of human deaths attributed to rattlesnakes in the wild in New York over the past several decades, according to the DEC.
DEC officials noted that, contrary to popular belief, a rattlesnake will not follow or attack a person unless threatened or provoked.
Timber rattlesnakes are found mostly in southeastern New York, the Southern Tier, and the edges of the eastern Catskills and Adirondacks. Timber rattlesnakes are often found in deciduous hardwood forests in rugged terrain, according to the DEC.
Other snake-infested areas on the Atlantic Coast
According to World Atlas, four other snake-infested regions in the eastern United States include:
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Croatan National Forest, North Carolina
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Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
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Everglades National Park, Florida
This article first appeared in the Rockland/Weschester Journal News: The Hudson Valley is a rattlesnake hotspot. What you need to know
