‘Coppie’ our ambassador for Copperhead conservation ...

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via Instagram http://ift.tt/2hLqLtC

 must have been bored with me trying to photograph him. What might look like an act of fangy aggression, is actually just him yawning. Copperheads, and all snakes are here for a reason! They are fulfilling an important role in our ecosystem, and they just want to be left alone so they can do it. It’s your right to kill any snake on your property, but we urge people to use our Translocation Program as an alternative to killing the snake. If you choose to exercise your right to kill snakes on your property, you then relinquish your right to complain about rodent infestations and lime disease, both of which are controlled naturally by snakes. So far, 3 of the 31 calls we have received have actually been Copperheads. The majority have been Water Snakes (Nerodia sp.) and Brown Snakes (Storeria decayi). Often we are sent pictures of these poor harmless snakes with their heads already cut off. No doubt, snakes freak people out — but they are fascinating, beautiful and provide a vital role in our urban ecosystem. If you are in Atlanta and think you have a Copperhead (or want to be sure) email us at copperhead@amphibianfoundation.org or call 5627 RIBBIT. #Copperhead #CopperheadAppreciation #CopperheadTolerance #Translocation #SnakesOfInstagram #SnakesOfAtlanta

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