Relocating wildlife (lots of photos)
 

So, a couple of friends from the Golden State Herp & Invert Club allowed me to join them last weekend in the efforts to relocate captured nuisance wildlife, specifically rattlesnakes - a total of 28 Northern Pacific's were captured in the month of July and relocated several miles outside the area, where they can roam freely with an abundant source of prey such as rodents & rabbits.

Anyway, here are some photos I'd like to share, comments are welcome!!!

Cal Mt King
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/1531/mtking1.jpg

Cal King
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/367/king1w.jpg

The officer who gets call-ins for these snake sightings decided to keep this rattler for educational purposes, he's a very dark specimen - almost helleri-looking.
http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1016/dark1f.jpg

This one's another holdback, due its interesting neck striping.
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/7949/babynp1.jpg

Inside bin #1:
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5526/bin1.jpg

Inside bin #2:
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/5940/bin4.jpg

Inside bin #3:
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2946/bin3.jpg

Inside bin #4: (Notice the interesting pattern at the bottom-most rattlesnake in the image)
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7425/bin2.jpg

Another holdback:
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7773/captive1.jpg

Another darker individual:
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/5746/darknp1.jpg

more photos
 

The transferring job:
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/4943/transfer1.jpg

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/913/transfer2.jpg

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/6066/transfer3.jpg

Sayin' goodby, enjoy freedom!
http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/558/release7.jpg

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/94/release3.jpg

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1208/800fg.jpg

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7108/release1.jpg

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6652/release2.jpg

Taking refuge in a den:
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/7985/den1.jpg

And some found some comfortable shade on a hot day under a tree upon release:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/480/release4.jpg

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/1954/release5.jpg

http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/4313/release6.jpg

Overall, it was a great experience! Thanks for lookin'!

I think it is great what ya'll are doing :thumbsup: Also, grrreat pictures! I have to ask, what kind of camera did you use for the pictures?

Thanks! It is a Nikon D5000.

My server's too slow to fully get all the photos but great job!

Bee-u-tiful shots! Bee-u-tiful snakes!

And a very worthwhile endeavor, a tip of my imaginary hat and thanks for watching out for the welfare of the animals, first and foremost. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Prince -

Thanks for the great post, pictures and your efforts. It's nice to hear about conservation efforts for venomous. I love the pic of the one between the trees and the one that reared up in an s-curve!

The intentions are all good but a proven death sentence for those rattlesnakes!

Studies have shown that rattlesnakes are very sensitive to their home range (about 1 mile) and taken out of that area the majority of them will not survive.

Awesome pictures! I have read that too, but this is always better than leaving them around homes and people where their death sentence is also proven. Better the chance of moving them to a new uninhabited area than leaving them in populated areas.

I guess it's a lose/lose situation.