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Lesson 3. Coastal Reptiles - Mangrove Snake Lesson Objectives: • This Section Focuses on the Mangrove Water Snake

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Lesson 3. Coastal Reptiles - Mangrove Snake Lesson Objectives: • This Section Focuses on the Mangrove Water Snake COASTAL REPTILES Lesson 3. Coastal Reptiles - Mangrove Snake Lesson Objectives: • This section focuses on the Mangrove Water Snake. • The student will become familiar with its physiology, habitat, and its role in the Mangrove Swamp. There's no doubt about it: Snakes are fascinating! They may not inspire much affection, but they certainly generate interest. The crowds that visit reptile houses at zoos throughout the world testify to the extraordinary appeal of these remarkable The secretive nature of snakes reptiles. It's difficult to put your in the wild makes them seem finger exactly on what makes rare. Of the relatively few snake snakes so interesting. encounters most people have Undoubtedly it differs for throughout a lifetime, many (if different people. Some are not all) sightings will be of excited by the fact that some nonpoisonous snakes. Still, the species of snakes are deadly. best advice upon encountering But for most people, it's any snake in the wild is to keep probably just that snakes are so a respectful distance and do incredibly different from the not attempt to handle or molest more familiar vertebrates like the snake. When compared cows and chickens. How can with some of the snake species an animal be so ridiculously found in other countries, none long and thin? How can it move of Florida's snakes are without legs? How can it considered aggressive. swallow a prey item larger than its head? Why does it have Several can be quite dangerous lidless eyes and a forked however. Of the six poisonous tongue? snakes found in Florida, only the cottonmouth (Agkistrodon ©PROJECT OCEANOGRAPHY COASTAL REPTILES 150 COASTAL REPTILES piscivorous) is known to inhabit brackish water environments. overhanging branches or on the These very dangerous snakes bank. These snakes typically closely resemble several of the drop into the water to escape at nonpoisonous water snakes the slightest provocation but will (genus Nerodia) and are often bite savagely if cornered difficult to differentiate in the or caught. Most will leave a field. Behavior offers some of series of puncture wounds, the best clues. Cottonmouths typically in a horseshoe shape. often stand their ground or Snakes have four rows of crawl away slowly. Water posteriorly recurved teeth in the snakes usually flee quickly or upper jaw and two rows in the drop with a splash in the water. lower jaw which are responsible Cottonmouths vibrate their tails for this distinctive horseshoe when excited; water snakes do shaped wound. Some of the not. A thoroughly aroused large water snakes may cottonmouth throws its head produce a series of lacerations upward and backward and as well. holds its mouth wide open, revealing a whitish interior - The mangrove water snake origin of the name cottonmouth. (Nerodia clarkii A dead specimen can easily be compressicauda) is found along distinguished from a the southern coasts of Florida nonpoisonous water snake by as well as Cuba. Although it is the cottonmouth's facial pits, not a rare snake, it is rarely single anal plate, and single seen because its habits and the row of scales under the tail. Be habitat in which it lives - dense extremely cautious when mangrove swamps. approaching or handling recently killed poisonous This medium-sized snake is snakes, however, since they extremely variable in color and retain the ability to strike and reaches a maximum length of inject venom for some time about 90-cm (approximately 3 (even long deceased feet). The mangrove water individuals contain their deadly snake is the only nonpoisonous venom and injection system). water snake that occurs in the brackish mangrove swamps. Water snakes inhabit nearly all Cottonmouths have been aquatic habitats in Florida and observed in brackish water can usually be seen basking on environments but it is thought ©PROJECT OCEANOGRAPHY COASTAL REPTILES 151 COASTAL REPTILES to be only a temporary habitat snakes are fishes and for them. The mangrove water amphibians, however, the snake spends most of its time mangrove water snake is in or near mangrove estuaries. limited to fishes since The mangrove intertidal zone, amphibians cannot survive in with its nearby shallow estuary, the salt water of the estuaries. is a primary nursery and Although the mangrove water feeding ground for many snake lives in this brackish marine species, including blue water, it requires fresh water to crab, mullet, snapper, shrimp survive. In fact, it will die if it and red drum. Subject to daily drinks the saline water in which tidal flooding, this habitat is rich it lives. They obtain most of the in nutrients and provides fresh water they need from the abundant food items for all its water found in fishes they eat, inhabitants. In addition to the but individuals have been mangrove water snake and observed drinking rain water as occasional cottonmouth, other a source of fresh water. These reptiles found in the mangrove unique snakes survive in a estuaries of the southeast U.S. saline environment without the include the American crocodile, benefit of a gland to excrete diamondback terrapin, and excess salts from its body. occasionally the yellow rat snake and alligator. Instead, they have evolved behavioral adaptations for living The mangrove water snake in a saline environment. First, gives birth to live young during they do not ingest the fishes the summer months but does they catch while still in the not take care of the young after water but bring the fish onto the birth. Typical broods for this bank or up into a nearby tree to snake number from 1-25 swallow. This limits the amount depending upon the size of the of salt water secondarily mother. The young are fully ingested during the swallowing developed and leave their of the prey. Second, its skin is mother immediately, feeding on impermeable to the surrounding small fishes within days. The salt water. primary food items for water ©PROJECT OCEANOGRAPHY COASTAL REPTILES 152 COASTAL REPTILES Conservation of the Mangrove Snake Habitat Fragile coastal habitats, plants The protection of mangrove and animals are rapidly forests should be an essential disappearing because human part of the environmental population continues to rise and program. As in the case of the develop those areas. People interior wetlands, the protection who live on the shoreline dislike of the functional integrity of having their view blocked by mangrove wetlands precludes grown mangroves, so they cut virtually any alteration. The the trees back or remove them. same protection is therefore This disrupts the mangrove needed against excavation, snake's habitat. Local laws filling, grading, draining, have been enacted that prohibit vegetation clearing, release of the removal of cutting back of pollutants, solid roadways, and mangroves without government other blockages. It is approval. particularly important that mangrove areas not be drained, by canals or otherwise. Activity 3-1. Classroom Discussion http://pelotes.jea.com/nvsnake.htm 1. What is a snake? A snake is a reptile without legs. A reptile usually has scales, lays eggs, breathes air, and doesn’t spend much time taking care of its babies. It is also cold-blooded, which means that its body doesn’t stay the same temperature all the time. (Our bodies stay at 98.6 F all day.) Snakes get very cold on winter days and very hot in the summer. Because of this, snakes usually stay in burrows during very hot and cold weather. A burrow is a hole in the ground where they can live. 2. What do snakes eat? All snakes are carnivores (car-ni-vorz) or meat-eaters. There are no snakes that can eat people in Florida. ©PROJECT OCEANOGRAPHY COASTAL REPTILES 153 COASTAL REPTILES Small snakes eat bugs and frogs. Larger ones eat fish, birds, mice, and rabbits. They use sharp teeth and strong muscles to catch the prey. If the prey animal is bigger than the snake’s mouth, the snake can dislocate (unhinge) its bottom jaw to fit the big animal in. 3. What about venom? Venom is a poison the snake puts into its prey through its fangs (teeth). This kills the prey so the snake can eat it. The snakes on this page do NOT have venom. They must kill their prey by biting it, squeezing it, or just by swallowing it alive. Since they have no venom, they have other ways to protect themselves. Some look like other venomous snakes. Some rattle their tail like a rattlesnake to fool you. Others swim, climb, and slither fast to help them get away. Some even play dead or squeeze out a nasty smelling goo to make the predator go away. 4. How has Florida’s growth and population increases affected the mangrove snake and its habitat? ©PROJECT OCEANOGRAPHY COASTAL REPTILES 154 COASTAL REPTILES Student Information Sheet 3. Coastal Reptiles III: Mangrove Snake Cottonmouths have been observed in brackish water environments but it is thought to be only a temporary habitat for them. The mangrove water snake spends most of its time in or near mangrove estuaries. The mangrove intertidal zone, with its nearby shallow estuary, The mangrove water snake is a primary nursery and (Nerodia clarkii feeding ground for many compressicauda) is found along marine species, including blue the southern coasts of Florida crab, mullet, snapper, shrimp as well as Cuba. Although it is and red drum. Subject to daily not a rare snake, it is rarely tidal flooding, this habitat is rich seen because its habits and the in nutrients and provides habitat in which it lives - dense abundant food items for all its mangrove swamps. This inhabitants. In addition to the medium-sized snake is mangrove water snake and extremely variable in color and occasional cottonmouth, other reaches a maximum length of reptiles found in the mangrove about 90-cm (approximately 3 estuaries of the southeast U.S.
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