ATHENS, Ga. — A four-year study from the University of Georgia says the spread of infections may spell doom for vulnerable snake species.
Some native snake species may face serious illness and death from a combination of fungal, parasitic and bacterial infections, the study said. They also face severe skin lesions, weight loss and facial deformities.
Researchers studies more than 500 snakes from Georgia, Florida and South Carolina and found pathogens prevalent among 29 snake species.
Among the findings, more than 40% of the reptiles tested positive for several pathogens. Salmonella was found in over half of the snakes.
More than one in three pygmy rattlesnakes tested positive for ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the cause for fatal snake fungal disease, disproportionately affected pygmy rattlesnakes.
As these pathogens move through snake species, they become more likely to infect those are already in trouble.
One in five reptiles worldwide are facing extinction, the researchers said.
“Rattlesnakes are dangerous, as are many wild animals, but it is critical for the public to be educated on their value in our ecosystems and to learn how to safely coexist,” said Corinna Hazelrig, corresponding author of the study, who is also a doctoral graduate from the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study. She is currently pursuing her doctor of veterinary medicine degree.
“Rattlesnakes deserve to live peacefully and unharmed as any animal does,” Hazelrig added.
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