Protect the Snakes! Give Eastern Diamondbacks "Threatened Species" Status
Due to loss of habitat and hunting, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake population in the United States has dropped from 3 million to an estimated 100,000. Call on the US Fish & Wildlife Service to protect this reptile under the Endangered Species Act.
We, the undersigned, request that the eastern diamondback rattlesnake be given "threatened status" under the Endangered Species Act.
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a crucial part of the ecosystem in the southeastern US. Conservationists estimate that the species' population has dropped from 3 million to 100,000 since its habitat began being affected by logging in the 1930s. The eastern diamondback is also harmed by hunters killing it for its skin or corralling the live snakes for "rattlesnake roundup" attractions. This human intervention threatens the rattlesnake's existence in the wild.
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake may not have a cute or cuddly reputation, but this snake plays a very important role by eating rodents and other small mammals. We cannot allow this species to disappear.
Please stand with wildlife biologists and conservationists and grant protection to the eastern diamondback rattlesnake.
Thank you.
