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Reproductive biology of female prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis viridis) in Alberta

Description

Many aspects of the biology of prairie rattlesnakes are not well described. This study used mark-recapture to follow the reproductive histories of female prairie rattlesnakes at two hibemacula in... More ≫

Description

Many aspects of the biology of prairie rattlesnakes are not well described. This study used mark-recapture to follow the reproductive histories of female prairie rattlesnakes at two hibemacula in southeastern Alberta over a three year period (2004-2006). In addition, radio-telemetry was used to track the movements of females, revealing the location of several rookeries where gravid females were aggregated. This findings contribute to the understanding of the species’ capacity to recover should populations decline, and a measure of the resilience of the species and its habitat to direct or indirect environmental pressures, aiding wildlife managers to determine the appropriate conservation status.

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Status of the short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) in Alberta : update 2004

Description

This wildlife status report looks at the eastern short-horned lizard, Alberta's only native lizard species. Scattered populations of these small, well-camouflaged lizards are found on... More ≫

Description

This wildlife status report looks at the eastern short-horned lizard, Alberta's only native lizard species. Scattered populations of these small, well-camouflaged lizards are found on sparsely-vegetated slopes in canyons and coulees in the extreme southeastern parts of the province. The species has been designated as vulnerable in Canada and may be at risk in Alberta. This report was prepared as a review of current information relevant to the determination of the status of this species in Alberta. It is part of the Alberta Wildlife Status Report series, which provides comprehensive summaries of selected wildlife species intended to be useful to those managing populations of species and their habitats, and to help identify species that may be formally designated as endangered or threatened.

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Lethbridge rattlesnake conservation project : 2003 progress report

Description

Lethbridge is at the western edge of prairie rattlesnake range in Canada. Continued expansion of the city has resulted in a substantial loss of suitable rattlesnake habitat and special efforts are... More ≫

Description

Lethbridge is at the western edge of prairie rattlesnake range in Canada. Continued expansion of the city has resulted in a substantial loss of suitable rattlesnake habitat and special efforts are necessary to maintain a sustainable population of rattlesnakes in Lethbridge. Recovery efforts focused on establishing a population of rattlesnakes in a newly-constructed artificial hibernaculum in Cottonwood Park. This report summarizes conservation efforts initiated in 2001 and continued through 2003.

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Prairie rattlesnake

Description

Provides information on the prairie rattlesnake, including a general description of the species, its distribution in Alberta, habitat, an estimate of its population size, threats to its habitat... More ≫

Description

Provides information on the prairie rattlesnake, including a general description of the species, its distribution in Alberta, habitat, an estimate of its population size, threats to its habitat and survival, management issues, and what the public can do to help ensure the survival of the species.

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Lethbridge prairie rattlesnake conservation project : 2002/2003 progress report

Description

Lethbridge is at the western edge of prairie rattlesnake range in Canada. Continued expansion of the city has resulted in a substantial loss of suitable rattlesnake habitat and special efforts are... More ≫

Description

Lethbridge is at the western edge of prairie rattlesnake range in Canada. Continued expansion of the city has resulted in a substantial loss of suitable rattlesnake habitat and special efforts are necessary to maintain a sustainable population of rattlesnakes in Lethbridge. Recovery efforts focused on establishing a population of rattlesnakes in a newly-constructed artificial hibernaculum in Cottonwood Park. This report provides a summary of progress and results based on recommendations from 2001, and outlines current and future management and recovery strategies aimed at maintaining the Lethbridge prairie rattlesnake population.

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Management and recovery strategies for the Lethbridge population of the prairie rattlesnake

Description

The coulees of southwest Lethbridge are home to a small population of prairie rattlesnakes. High rates of mortality from road kills, deliberate human persecution, and a rapid loss of habitat from... More ≫

Description

The coulees of southwest Lethbridge are home to a small population of prairie rattlesnakes. High rates of mortality from road kills, deliberate human persecution, and a rapid loss of habitat from subdivision and recreational development make the future of Lethbridge rattlesnakes uncertain. In 2000, a committee was formed to develop a management plan. This report integrates previous work done, includes pertinent actions from the draft management plan developed in 2000 and summarizes and discusses present and future recovery efforts.

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A survey of short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi hernandesi) populations in Alberta

Description

Short-horned lizards occupy a number of relatively isolated, widely scattered localities within southeastern Alberta. Populations of these small, well-camouflaged lizards are generally of low... More ≫

Description

Short-horned lizards occupy a number of relatively isolated, widely scattered localities within southeastern Alberta. Populations of these small, well-camouflaged lizards are generally of low density and overall abundance in the province, as the area represents the northernmost margin of the species’ range. The objectives of this year's survey were to search all historically recorded locations for the species in the province, to evaluate the probability of continued persistence, given the habitat currently available, and to determine the continued presence of the species by captures where possible. Over the course of the survey, 125 individual lizards were captured. Within those sites found to be occupied by lizards, the average density of captures was also calculated to be approximately two animals per hectare, although southern sites were more generally populous than northern sites.

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Red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) relocation and education project : final report

Description

A red-sided garter snake relocation project was initiated to determine whether snakes would overwinter successfully in another occupied hibernaculum in the Stony Plain area, west of Edmonton,... More ≫

Description

A red-sided garter snake relocation project was initiated to determine whether snakes would overwinter successfully in another occupied hibernaculum in the Stony Plain area, west of Edmonton, Alberta. A total of 1190 garter snakes were relocated to a den 9.5 km away that contained over 8500 snakes. Thirty percent of the relocated snakes returned to the new den in the following years. Overall the project has been very successful, and shows that snakes can be relocated successfully to another occupied den. Education projects included talks, posters, field trips, media relases and another snake den management program in Fort Assiniboine. A Snakes of Alberta poster was produced and will also increase public knowledge about snakes and their environments.

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Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) monitoring in Alberta - preliminary investigations (2000)

Description

In the fall of 2000, a project was undertaken to collect and review information on the over-wintering sites used by the prairie rattlesnake in Alberta. These sites, known as hibernacula, and the... More ≫

Description

In the fall of 2000, a project was undertaken to collect and review information on the over-wintering sites used by the prairie rattlesnake in Alberta. These sites, known as hibernacula, and the surrounding suitable habitat, are undoubtedly important limiting factors affecting rattlesnake distribution within Alberta. This report summarises the preliminary work completed to begin updating historical information on the prairie rattlesnake, and includes suggestions for a long-term monitoring and population analysis program. Information gained from this project is intended to help in the protection and survival of this species in Alberta.

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Utilization of air photo interpretation to locate prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) hibernacula in the South Saskatchewan River Valley

Description

Current anecdotal evidence suggests that the distribution and abundance of the prairie rattlesnake is declining. Due to a lack of standardized information, a means of conducting a landscape level... More ≫

Description

Current anecdotal evidence suggests that the distribution and abundance of the prairie rattlesnake is declining. Due to a lack of standardized information, a means of conducting a landscape level hibernacula inventory and population assessment of rattlesnakes in Alberta must be developed. Previous work undertaken by Alberta Environment was done to attempt to facilitate this process. This method used air photo interpretation and the ecological land classification system to classify a portion of the South Saskatchewan River valley for the likelihood of containing snake hibernacula. This method was evaluated for effectiveness by conducting ground searches throughout the identified study area and correlating actual locations of confirmed hibernacula to predicted locations. A total of eight hibernacula were confirmed.

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