Conservation Status
Rattlesnakes tend to avoid developed areas, preferring undisturbed, natural habitats. Rapid habitat destruction by humans, mass killings during events like rattlesnake round-ups, and deliberate extermination campaigns all pose severe threats to rattlesnake populations in many areas. Several species of rattlesnakes, such as the timber rattler, massasauga, and canebrake rattlesnake are listed as threatened or endangered in many U.S. states.
A very large number of rattlesnakes die from being run over by cars.
In more heavily populated and trafficked areas, there have been increasing reports of rattlesnakes that do not rattle. This phenomenon is commonly attributed to selective pressure by humans, who often kill the snakes when they are discovered. Non-rattling snakes are more likely to go unnoticed, and therefore survive to reproduce offspring who, like themselves, are less likely to rattle.
Read more about this topic: Rattler
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