Many species of amphibians and reptiles have become rare or non-existent in their native ranges.  There are many reasons that these species are declining; almost all caused by humans.  Pollution, habitat loss, misperceptions and myths, introduced species, and over collection are some of the many reasons that herpetofaunal diversity continues to decline.  Habitat loss is perhaps the largest cause of declines and local extinctions.  Laws and regulations enacted to protect biodiversity have had only marginal success; in large part because they have not kept pace with current scientific research.  Mitigation laws requiring replacement of wetlands don’t consider vital functions of the wetland; including abiotic reactions, primary productivity, species diversity, or species interactions.  Simply put, replacing a ten acre swamp with a ten acre lake doesn’t recreate the functions nor support the herpetofaunal diversity of the swamp.  Other laws requiring buffer zones around water sources (breeding habitats for numerous species of herpetofauna) usually do not extend far enough to encompass enough land to maintain viable populations of terrestrial amphibians and reptiles.  As an example consider the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum).  This salamander lives in the forest in small mammal burrows but breeds in ephemeral ponds (below). To protect enough terrestrial habitat for A. maculatum, a 175 yard buffer zone is recommended.  In Mississippi, there are general best management practices that are based on the type of land use next to the water source.  Even the most protected areas probably aren’t large enough to maintain viable populations of A. maculatum.   Another reason many species are in decline is due to practices that have been around for generations: the shooting of herpetofauna for fun.

Many people routinely shoot basking turtles and snakes for target practice or just because they think that it is harmless fun.  Many turtles and snakes, including endangered species, are killed in this manner every year in the state of Mississippi.  For turtles, even if they survive, their shells are weakened where the bullet entered allowing disease causing organisms entry into the body.  In addition, because the shell is an integral component of the skeleton, the mobility of the turtle may be impaired, making it easy prey for predators or interfering with mating activities.  The same applies to snakes that are shot and survive.  The wound allows entry by disease causing organisms and their mobility may be impaired.   Introduced species are also contributing to herptofaunal declines.  Some of these exotic animals escaped from captivity but many others were released into the wild.  Almost all of these species are able to outcompete native species and displace or drive into local extinction native species.  Some, such as the large python shown below, are formidable predators, capable of subduing and consuming almost any other animal, including crocodylians and small humans.

The predominant attitude regarding snakes in Mississippi is that the only good snake is a dead snake.  This indiscriminate killing has led to the decline and local extinction of several harmless and beneficial serpents.  There are many reasons for this attitude ranging from the notion that all snakes are venomous to belief in the many false myths about them.  The only way to change the misperceptions about serpents is to educate the public about the differences between venomous and non-venomous species, explain the benefits of snakes, and dispel the many myths surrounding them.   Large numbers of both snakes and turtles are deliberately ran over by motorists every year.  Snakes are particularly susceptible to being run over because of their tendency to lie on roadways at night to absorb the heat stored by the road during the day.  This deliberate killing of snakes is tied to the misconceptions and myths as stated above, but the reason for running over turtles seems to be to see how far the turtle is displaced when struck by the wheels (let’s see how far it will fly).  This misguided behavior is devastating to turtle populations because the vast majority of turtles on roadways are females moving to nesting sites.  During certain times of the year large numbers of frogs, toads, and salamanders are on roadways because it is their breeding season.  In some areas during these times, it is impossible to drive down a road without running over these animals.

These are just a few of the many reasons why Mississippi’s herpetofauna is declining.  Solutions to this problem are not easily forthcoming.  Swerving at high speeds to miss an animal may cause the driver to lose control of their vehicle and crash.  Building underpasses is expensive and may not produce the desired result.  As with snakes, the best solution is education and citizen action.  For example, some places have volunteers who collect frogs, toads, and salamanders during breeding seasons on one side of the road and carry them to the other side.  If it is safe to do so, stop and carry turtles that are on the road to the side that they are travelling to.  Simply stopping your vehicle and getting out of it will often cause a snake to leave the roadway; if not, tossing small stones at it will almost always work.