When Christa Reinach saw a 3-foot-long snake stretched out on her patio, she called a local rattlesnake hotline. The handler on the line asked if the snake had black and white bands on its tail.
“Yes,” Reinach replied, peering through the window. That marking likely meant the snake was a venomous western diamondback rattlesnake. Help was on the way.
Living in Rio Verde Foothills, a desert-edge community near Scottsdale, Arizona, Reinach is used to the occasional snake sighting. But she didn’t want this one hanging around — especially not with her horses nearby. A rattlesnake bite on the nose could swell their airways shut, making it hard for them to breathe. Her two Shar-Pei dogs were already safely inside.
Each year in the U.S., venomous snakes bite around 7,000 to 8,000 people. While only about five fatalities occur annually, long-term injuries — like the loss of a finger — are not uncommon. Pets are often even more vulnerable. Rattlesnakes are among the most dangerous, and a 2019 study of over 11,000 snakebite cases showed they were the most frequently identified culprits.
As development spreads into desert habitats, human-snake encounters are becoming more common. Climate change is also playing a role, driving snakes to seek out cooler places — like gardens and patios. But despite their fearsome reputation, snakes serve vital ecological functions. Experts warn that indiscriminately killing them is not only unethical but ecologically harmful.
In some cases — such as dealing with invasive species — euthanasia might be warranted. But when it comes to native snakes in Arizona, a more humane solution is gaining ground: capture and relocation. Organizations like Rattlesnake Solutions are leading that charge.
This was the group Reinach contacted. Soon after her call, a rescuer arrived with long-handled snake tongs and gently placed the rattlesnake into a ventilated container. It was then released back into the desert — a safer place for both snake and humans.
“I don’t believe in killing something just because it’s out of place,” Reinach said. Like her, the team at Rattlesnake Solutions believes in respecting snakes not just for their uniqueness but for their role in the ecosystem. Rattlesnakes help control rodent populations — critical for farmers trying to protect grain stores — and may even assist with seed dispersal and reducing the spread of tick-borne diseases like Lyme.
Still, many rattlesnake species are under threat. The eastern diamondback’s numbers are declining, and the Arizona black rattlesnake may be nearing extinction. A 2022 study predicted that climate change could shrink suitable habitats for 71% of U.S. rattlesnake species by 2040.
A Life Devoted to Snakes
Bryan Hughes, founder of Rattlesnake Solutions, was just five when he first held a snake. It was a scarlet kingsnake brought to a local nature center in Oregon. The vivid red, yellow, and black colors captivated him.
“It just hit something,” Hughes recalls. That moment sparked a lifelong fascination. After the 2008 financial crash cost him his marketing job, he decided to turn his passion into a profession. With experience from volunteering in herpetological societies, he launched Rattlesnake Solutions — designing a logo, building a website, and answering his first calls.
Since then, Hughes and his team have relocated roughly 20,000 snakes — about 1,500 annually. Each relocation takes around two hours and costs homeowners about $150. Arizona is home to many snake species, including the large and potentially dangerous western diamondback and the non-venomous Sonoran gopher snake, both of which can grow up to six feet long.
Hughes always uses callouts as a teaching opportunity, informing homeowners about the snakes they encounter and offering tips on safety. His company also installs snake-proof fencing designed to keep serpents out.
But removing a snake is only half the job. “The harder part is making sure the snake survives and doesn’t become a problem elsewhere,” Hughes says. That means carefully choosing a new home — ideally, a burrow with shade, shelter, and prey — and relocating the snake within hours.
Urban expansion often worsens the issue. Developers frequently leave piles of rocks to manage stormwater or plant dense, irrigated shrubs — both of which attract snakes. Climate change adds fuel to the fire. With temperatures in Phoenix hitting or exceeding 110°F (43.3°C) for a record 55 straight days in 2023, snakes increasingly seek refuge in cooler yards — just as people spend more time outdoors.
These overlapping trends mean that snake sightings and bites are likely to keep rising.
Learning to Coexist
Experts like Emily Taylor, a snake specialist at Cal Poly, agree: humans and rattlesnakes must learn to coexist. Taylor, who also relocates snakes voluntarily, says desert home construction inevitably increases snake encounters — but education, not fear, is the answer.
Back in Arizona, more residents will likely see rattlesnakes on their land, especially in spring when the snakes roam in search of mates. Reinach, for one, is ready. “We live in the desert,” she says. “The snakes are just part of that ecology.”
In movies and media, rattlesnakes are often shown as terrifying villains. But Bryan Hughes, who never outgrew his childhood awe, sees them differently.
“People say you’re supposed to hate these things, supposed to kill them,” he says. “Well, I don’t. I want to save them.”
By BBC
