August 2, 2007

Snake in the grass

Santa Clara County Parks boast a beautiful abundance
of nature—but beware of the indigenous rattlesnake

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum park interpreter Terri Sanislo recommends bringing water, hat, sunscreen, tick repellant, sunglasses, walking stick and to wear closed shoes and long pants when hiking. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Santa Clara County Parks boast a beautiful respite from urban life, but hikers need to take precautions when hiking because the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake calls the area home.

“Of all the times I’ve been to Almaden Quicksilver [Park], I’ve only run into a rattlesnake once back in 2002,” said photographer Ron Horii. “This picture is as close as I dared to get to the snake. I’ve seen more snakes in Santa Teresa Park. A young rattlesnake was sitting smack-dab in the middle of the Coyote Peak Trail near the summit in May 2005. I was a little braver then, and I had a better camera. The snake’s tail wasn’t fully formed, so he couldn’t rattle. That makes them more dangerous.”

Horii’s right about that. A young rattlesnake is much more dangerous. Not only is the rattle not fully formed on the juvenile tail and soundless, its venom is more toxic than an adult.

“I think the rattlesnakes are beautiful,” said New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum park interpreter Terri Sanislo. “They look like jamoca almond fudge and they have the best tile job on the planet. And I like rattlesnakes. They are the only venomous snake in the world that’s polite. It rattles to let you know to stay away.

The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake subspecies is indigenous to California from Santa Barbara north through most of Oregon and eastern Washington. Adults are seldom over 3 feet, though reports have been made of some over 5 feet. The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake is a medium-sized typical rattler, with vertical pupils and a wide triangular head on a slender neck and a thick body. The tail tends to be white with black rings.

And with a yellowish, dry-grass tan color with dark-edged brown and hexagonal blotches with occasional highlights of gold, the snake is very much the color of “jamoca almond fudge” and easily camouflages in dry grasses and jagged rocks.

Rattlesnakes are venomous but the animals tend to be quite shy. They will seek shelter when detecting a human approach and are seldom seen. Bites occur when the snake is startled or provoked. And approximately 25 percent of bites are dry with no venom but leave painful incisions from the hypodermic-like fangs.

“I see rattlesnakes every couple of weeks in the spring and summer at Santa Teresa Park,” said John Dorrance, a park interpreter at Santa Teresa County Parks, which features the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch historic area. “I was moving a trash can by the barn recently and there was a small rattlesnake. I caught it and released it in the park.”

Dorrance has removed the hay bales in the barn of the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch that harbored mice—a prime food source for rattlesnakes as well as ground squirrels, rats, rabbits, birds, lizards, snakes, frogs and insects. Barn owls and king snakes call the area home and are natural predators of rodents and rattlesnakes. The park also has signs regarding the rattlesnakes warning hikers to stay clear of high grass, rocky areas and brush. Though sightings are rare, visitors have been bitten by rattlesnakes.

A young rattlesnake found in Santa Teresa Park in May 2005. There was no rattle as the tail is not fully formed. Photo by Ron Horii

“A couple of years ago, a small girl was bitten and rushed to Santa Teresa Hospital,” said Dorrance. “She was OK, but there was a man who sat down on the trail and didn’t see the rattlesnake next to him and was bit. He was at the hospital for three days. Hikers need to stay on the trail and listen. And keep their kids and dogs close to them.”

Along with staying on the trails, Dorrance recommends sturdy boots, no sandals or flip flops and a supply of water.
“People come into the museum and are not very well prepared to go for a strenuous walk in the Quicksilver Park,” said Sanislo. “They need to bring two liters of water, no open-toe shoes, a hat, sunscreen, tick repellant and sunglasses in a backpack. And wear long pants. A walking stick is good, too, as it precedes you and lets animals know you’re coming. If you bring a dog, they’re thirsty when you are and make sure they’re not geriatric. And don’t hike alone, bring a buddy. If you go prepared, you’ll enjoy the hike and experience the beauty of the park.”