ST. GEORGE, Utah -- Some fourth-grade fans of the diamondback rattlesnake want state lawmakers to name the slithery creature Utah's state snake.
The students from Laura Graf's class at Diamond Valley Elementary School -- home of the dangerous mascot -- have already made their case to Gov.
Jon Huntsman and Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara, with positive results.
Clark plans to carry a resolution during the 2006 Legislature promoting the idea.
"It's an interesting choice, and I'm not sure there's anything endearing about a reptile, but these students are so enthused, and that's catching," said Clark. "What intrigued me about this whole idea was the interest these students are showing in the political process."
Clark says he'll wear a T-shirt bearing a picture of the rattlesnake on the day on the day he'll present his resolution. Students also plan to testify before lawmakers.
Utahns already call the California sea gull the state bird, and the Rocky Mountain elk is the state animal. There's also a state rock (coal), flower (sego lily), tree (blue spruce), insect (honeybee), fruit (cherry), fish (Bonneville cutthroat trout), folk dance (square dance), fossil (Allosaurus), gemstone (topaz), grass (Indian rice) and even a state cooking pot (Dutch oven), said Graf.
"We've had a little bit of controversy over whether the diamondback rattlesnake is indigenous to Utah," said Graf.
"Either way, if it's named the state reptile we sure don't think it ought to be a protected species."
Students say they hope lawmakers will like their idea, but don't think a move should be made to list the dangerous snake as a protected species.
"It is very poisonous, but I will still say pretty, pretty, pretty please make the diamondback rattlesnake the state reptile," said student Anthony Wallace, who says he's seen at least four rattlesnakes before. "One tried to kill my dog once, but my dad cut his head off with a shovel."
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