San Gabriel Valley Recreation - "As Southern California suffers through the third year of drought, rattlesnakes are moving farther from their territory searching for food and water, many biologists report. " ...
San Gabriel Valley Recreation:
Precautions For Snakebite Season
The Southern Pacific rattlesnake is the most common rattlesnake found in wild area in Southern California and one of the most deadly. This snake was just off the trail in Powder Canyon, near La Habra, part of the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority. (photo by Terry Tuttle).Hikers & Mountain Bikers Warned To Be On The Lookout
It's official. Southern California, and the San Gabriel Valley, are officially in a severe drought. That's nothing new. The area is a "desert" after all, and residents are used to living in an area that is either entering a drought or recovering from one in a seemingly endless cycle.
One of the things that happens under drought conditions here in certain areas of the San Gabriel Valley can be increased activity and meetings with wild animals who may range farther than normal searching for food and water. This is especially true in the foothill areas of the valley, where encounters with animals such as wild cats, bears, and rattlesnakes can become more numerous as a result of the drought conditions.
According to doctors with the California Poison Control System, the state and our area are on a pace to break records for snake bites this season. There has been one resident in Sierra Madre bitten already this year, and several calls in foothill areas to animal control and the police to remove snakes found in foothill neighborhoods and yards.
Here's an article just published in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. It's by Steve Scauzillo, and it outlines the situation and the different factors causing the increase of snake encounters.
Too many people wear shorts and flip-flops instead of long, loose-fitting pants and boots or sturdy shoes, said biologists. Also, going off trail and being unable to hear a snake’s rattle because someone’s wearing earbuds with music blaring adds to the possibility of getting bitten, said Lizette Longacre, ecologist with the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority.
Being Prepared & Observant Are The Best Preventatives
The San Gabriel Valley is full of great opportunities for fun and recreation. Hikers and Bikers can choose from the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains, the Puente Hills, and many more areas that are great places to hike and ride. Some of the most beautiful and fun country in the area is right here, and it's not our intent to discourage people from making use of those opportunities! In fact, we encourage you to get out there and experience the beauty of the wonderful place we live in.
We do need to remember, though, that when we live in areas that border the forest or hills, or when we visit the more remote areas of our valley, we face the possibility of encountering the actual residents of our more rustic areas. Being smart and prepared is the best advice on how to remain safe. There are things you can do!
1) Don't go into our neighboring forest wearing beach sandals and shorts. If you're going off hiking wear long pants that are loose fitting and boots or very sturdy shoes.
2) If you're off in the hills hiking or biking, leave the earbuds off. The music may be enjoyable, but the fact is that many rattlesnake bites happen when people step on or very near a snake that is rattling and attempting to warn them to stay away. The hapless hiker, though, can't hear the warning because of their earbuds. Leave them off, and be more attuned to your surroundings.
If you take a few precautions and simply remain aware and observant, you'll have a much better time enjoying the wilderness that is such a benefit of living and visiting our area.
