Habitat for Rattlesnakes: Sunnier but Riskier
 

Conservation efforts that open up the canopy of overgrown habitat for threatened timber rattlesnakes are beneficial to snakes but could come at a cost, according to a new study.



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This is a very interesting read.
I just wonder... why are the snakes in areas where the canopy cover is too dense for optimum temps in the first place? Is human encroachment causing the snakes to migrate into deeper, more heavily forested areas? ...hence the need to thin the canopy, which is increasing the predation threat.