Rattlesnake Appreciation Day at the Chattanooga Zoo

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Saturday at the Chattanooga Zoo was rattlesnake appreciation day, where the Chattanooga Zoo highlighted the ecological importance and the natural beauty of these rare slithering snakes.

“Our Western Diamondback has been here for a number of years longer than me. I believe she’s been here at least six years. Our little Santa Catalina Island rattlesnakes have been here for about two years now we got them from the Bronx Zoo,” said Animal Care Supervisor, Kate Gore.

Snakes give many people an uncomfortable squirmy feeling and tend to neglect them because of the danger they are capable of. But people often don’t give them enough credit for their importance in nature.

“Every little bit of your ecology is needed in an area; you want to have the snakes to eat rodents. It’s all connected in some way,” said Gore.

The banded rock rattlesnake holds a significant importance because of how unique and rare they are since they don’t have a rattle on their tails. In fact, they are a threatened species. So, preserving these guys are at the top of the list.