St. Clair County sportsmen should be aware of poisonous snakes as they take to the outdoors in the coming weeks, a state wildlife official has advised.

“No species of native wildlife in Alabama receives more of a bad rap than snakes,” said Keith Gauldin, wildlife biologist with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. “While some people are infatuated by them, many only want to see them dead. Misconceptions about snakes and their bad reputation mainly stems from a lack of knowledge about the different snakes that inhabit our state.”

Alabama serves as host for more than 40 species of snakes, of which only six are venomous. Five of the six are pit vipers, including the cottonmouth, copperhead, and three rattlesnakes.  The sixth, in a group by itself, is the coral snake.

The pit vipers reside in the family Viparidae. They are characterized by having curved, hollow moveable fangs that can pivot to be held flat against the roof of the mouth, heat-sensitive pits located between the eye and nostril, and hemotoxic venom.

The pits are primarily used for detecting prey by enhancing the snake’s ability to practically see in the dark. The pupils of the pit vipers are elliptical in a vertical orientation. They typically have a triangular-shaped head, although some non-venomous water snakes will flatten their heads when alarmed or disturbed.

The cottonmouth is a common snake of Alabama’s landscapes, particularly around any type of water, including lakes, rivers, streams, and swamplands. The name cottonmouth is derived from its white inner mouth, which is often exposed when the snake is disturbed. While the young have bright bands of dark brown to olive-brown, the adults appear to lose them as they age leaving them a darker solid brown to black with faint blotches. The young typically have a chartreuse-tipped tail believed to be used to attract prey. The cottonmouth has a habit of standing its ground more so than other snakes.

The cottonmouth’s upland counterpart is the copperhead. Dark brown bands on a coppery lighter background that resemble an hourglass pattern is a unique coloration characteristic of this snake. This coloration makes it especially hard to detect in the forest leaf, which leads it to be occasionally stepped on by outdoorsmen. This is probably why more people are bitten by this snake in the Southeast than any other venomous snake. Although the bites are painful, most are not serious compared to those of other venomous snake species.

The timber or canebrake rattlesnake usually occupies similar areas to that of the copperhead but is also found in areas that are a little wetter. Its coloration also makes it difficult to detect in the forest leaf litter. This snake can vary in color ranging from gray to brown with dark brown V-shaped bands or chevrons evenly spaced down the length of its body. It often remains motionless until it feels it has been discovered. At that time, it initiates its familiar warning-buzzing signal for the intruder to stay away.

The largest rattlesnake in Alabama is the diamondback rattlesnake. Record specimens of this species have been documented at lengths of 8 feet. The diamondback prefers drier sites such as the coastal sandy pine forests, pine flatwoods, and upland sandhills. It is often found in association with gopher tortoise burrows, which it frequently utilizes for refuge. The diamondback is typically a hefty snake and with dark brown to black diamonds along the length of its back on a lighter tan to light yellow background. Acting as an ambush predator, it often sits coiled and motionless for extended periods waiting for the opportunity to subdue small rodents.

“Their venom is highly toxic to humans, and it is likely the most dangerous snake in Alabama, but it is not apt to strike unless it feels threatened or harassed.” Gauldin said.   “Nevertheless, it is wise to keep your distance from this snake.”

The last of the rattlesnakes in Alabama is the smallest, the pygmy rattlesnake. Its pugnacious attitude must stem from its small stature, for it is quick to coil and rattle, although its rattle is hardly perceptible. It is an attractive snake with a light gray background with dark brown to orange blotches along the back. This is usually the snake referred to as the ground rattler. Due to its smallness, a bite would not be a serious threat to an adult human, although it would be a painful experience. However, it is a quick-tempered snake, swift to coil and strike when disturbed.

The coral snake is the only representative in Alabama of the family Elapidae. While this family also includes the cobras, the coral snake is a much more docile representative of this family. It is, by far, the most colorful venomous snake in the state. The brightly colored bands of black, yellow and red are the signature of this snake. In the coral snake, the black bands separate the yellow bands, and it typically has a black-tipped nose.

A couple of other non-venomous snakes that resemble the coral snake are the scarlet snake and scarlet king snake, both of which have black bands that separate red from yellow bands. Bites from coral snakes are very serious and can cause severe harm due to its neurotoxic venom. Fortunately, bites from this snake are rare and are usually associated with someone attempting to handle the snake.

“The best advice in regards to avoiding a snakebite is to avoid handling any snake if there is any doubt of its identification,” said Gauldin.  “The majority of snakebites occur from individuals harassing or handling snakes. If a bite occurs, present-day recommendations are to seek medical attention as quickly as possible and avoid the dated suggestions of cutting, tourniquet application, or sucking the venom from the bite. A cell phone can be a tremendous asset in alerting medical personnel of the incoming bite victim if such an unfortunate incident should occur.

“Last of all, watch where you step.”