A Mysterious Fungus Is Killing Rattlesnakes | National Geographic

their unique little species they live in

their unique little species they live in wetlands primarily which is not what you

wetlands primarily which is not what you

wetlands primarily which is not what you typically think of when you think of

typically think of when you think of

typically think of when you think of rattlesnakes the real stronghold for

rattlesnakes the real stronghold for

rattlesnakes the real stronghold for Eastern massasauga is here in Michigan

Eastern massasauga is here in Michigan

Eastern massasauga is here in Michigan this species was recently listed under

this species was recently listed under

this species was recently listed under the u.s. Endangered Species Act as as

the u.s. Endangered Species Act as as

the u.s. Endangered Species Act as as federally threatened and that protects

federally threatened and that protects

federally threatened and that protects them from a lot of the activities that

them from a lot of the activities that

them from a lot of the activities that are affecting them but it doesn’t

are affecting them but it doesn’t

are affecting them but it doesn’t protect them from something like sneak

protect them from something like sneak

protect them from something like sneak fungal disease so snake fungal disease

fungal disease so snake fungal disease

fungal disease so snake fungal disease is an emerging fungal pathogen it’s

is an emerging fungal pathogen it’s

is an emerging fungal pathogen it’s found to infect about 30 some-odd

found to infect about 30 some-odd

found to infect about 30 some-odd species of snakes in the United States a

species of snakes in the United States a

species of snakes in the United States a lot of these snake species particularly

lot of these snake species particularly

lot of these snake species particularly massasauga rattlesnake SAR already

massasauga rattlesnake SAR already

massasauga rattlesnake SAR already suffering from the effects of multiple

suffering from the effects of multiple

suffering from the effects of multiple stressors so habitat loss these things

stressors so habitat loss these things

stressors so habitat loss these things were persecuted at one point directly

were persecuted at one point directly

were persecuted at one point directly snake fungal disease we know is

snake fungal disease we know is

snake fungal disease we know is relatively new to these populations and

relatively new to these populations and

relatively new to these populations and it’s just an additional stressor on top

it’s just an additional stressor on top

it’s just an additional stressor on top of the things that these snakes are

of the things that these snakes are

of the things that these snakes are already experiencing even if this

already experiencing even if this

already experiencing even if this disease occurs at a relatively low

disease occurs at a relatively low

disease occurs at a relatively low prevalence maybe five to ten percent

prevalence maybe five to ten percent

prevalence maybe five to ten percent that could be an additional five to ten

that could be an additional five to ten

that could be an additional five to ten percent of mortality that’s added on top

percent of mortality that’s added on top

percent of mortality that’s added on top of what’s already occurring those are

of what’s already occurring those are

of what’s already occurring those are the kinds of things that can drive these

the kinds of things that can drive these

the kinds of things that can drive these populations to extinction it seems to be

populations to extinction it seems to be

populations to extinction it seems to be an increasing phenomenon that emerging

an increasing phenomenon that emerging

an increasing phenomenon that emerging infectious diseases have been impacting

infectious diseases have been impacting

infectious diseases have been impacting wildlife species across different taxes

wildlife species across different taxes

wildlife species across different taxes such as bat white nose syndrome and

such as bat white nose syndrome and

such as bat white nose syndrome and phibian Kitteridge fungus and now also

phibian Kitteridge fungus and now also

phibian Kitteridge fungus and now also snake fungal disease these pathogens are

snake fungal disease these pathogens are

snake fungal disease these pathogens are so complex and much more complicated

so complex and much more complicated

so complex and much more complicated than we first assumed we still have so

than we first assumed we still have so

than we first assumed we still have so many questions that are been unanswered

many questions that are been unanswered

many questions that are been unanswered even though some of these species are

even though some of these species are

even though some of these species are common because we don’t have a long-term

common because we don’t have a long-term

common because we don’t have a long-term dataset before there was ever a reason

dataset before there was ever a reason

dataset before there was ever a reason to be concerned it makes it very

to be concerned it makes it very

to be concerned it makes it very difficult for us to predict what will

difficult for us to predict what will

difficult for us to predict what will happen in the future

so not rattling yep touching once so for

so not rattling yep touching once so for the last seven or so years we have been

the last seven or so years we have been

the last seven or so years we have been collecting mark-recapture data on this

collecting mark-recapture data on this

collecting mark-recapture data on this population of Eastern massasauga

population of Eastern massasauga

population of Eastern massasauga rattlesnake the idea is to establish a

rattlesnake the idea is to establish a

rattlesnake the idea is to establish a population that we can study over the

population that we can study over the

population that we can study over the long term so we can try and understand

long term so we can try and understand

long term so we can try and understand the changes in demography and the

the changes in demography and the

the changes in demography and the population dynamics we are lucky enough

population dynamics we are lucky enough

population dynamics we are lucky enough here to have been studying this

here to have been studying this

here to have been studying this population before we detected the

population before we detected the

population before we detected the disease which will allow us to

disease which will allow us to

disease which will allow us to understand the impact to the population

understand the impact to the population

understand the impact to the population over time we can lose individuals right

over time we can lose individuals right

over time we can lose individuals right and we know that we lose individuals

and we know that we lose individuals

and we know that we lose individuals occasionally but from a conservation

occasionally but from a conservation

occasionally but from a conservation standpoint it’s really important to

standpoint it’s really important to

standpoint it’s really important to understand what’s the impact of

understand what’s the impact of

understand what’s the impact of populations what we really need to do is

populations what we really need to do is

populations what we really need to do is to sample in the environment figure out

to sample in the environment figure out

to sample in the environment figure out where it’s distributed and then try and

where it’s distributed and then try and

where it’s distributed and then try and understand how it’s spreading both

understand how it’s spreading both

understand how it’s spreading both locally and across the country

locally and across the country

locally and across the country ultimately hopefully not across the

ultimately hopefully not across the

ultimately hopefully not across the globe hopefully we can apply some of

globe hopefully we can apply some of

globe hopefully we can apply some of what we learned then slow or control the

what we learned then slow or control the

what we learned then slow or control the spread before declines and snakes really

spread before declines and snakes really

spread before declines and snakes really become a common place to be able to

become a common place to be able to

become a common place to be able to respond more quickly is of the essence

respond more quickly is of the essence

respond more quickly is of the essence and right now we have an advantage with

and right now we have an advantage with

and right now we have an advantage with snake holding disease I really hope to

snake holding disease I really hope to

snake holding disease I really hope to get more people aware that we have

get more people aware that we have

get more people aware that we have rattlesnakes in Michigan and that they

rattlesnakes in Michigan and that they

rattlesnakes in Michigan and that they are important they provide a valuable

are important they provide a valuable

are important they provide a valuable ecosystem service control mammal

ecosystem service control mammal

ecosystem service control mammal populations and mammals carry ticks you

populations and mammals carry ticks you

populations and mammals carry ticks you know they deserve to be here they

know they deserve to be here they

know they deserve to be here they provide a service and they’re just a

provide a service and they’re just a

provide a service and they’re just a beautiful species

beautiful species

beautiful species [Music]