The Center for Snake Conservation (CSC) 2012 Spring Snake Count is
> less than a month away. Have you signed up yet? If not, you can
> register for the Snake Count here: www.snakecount.org . Together we
> can make this spring's Snake Count one of the largest events ever
> dedicated to expanding our knowledge about snakes. Please forward
> this email to other people who you think may be interested in helping
> count snakes this spring.
>
> To help with the Snake Count, the CSC is pleased to announce the
> release of their 2012 Snake Count Tool Kit. You will find helpful
> ideas and protocols you need to conduct a snake count in the tool kit.
> Take a look and feel free to email your suggestions about what we can
> add to the tool kit to make it ever more helpful.
>
> As you are aware, snakes play vital roles as mid- to top-level
> predators in our natural ecosystems but they are often very
> misunderstood and feared by humans. This makes conservation efforts
> for snakes very difficult. In addition, we lack good geographic
> distribution records for many species of snakes which limit our
> ability to adequately measure their conservation needs. The CSC is
> working hard to increase our knowledge about snakes, their
> conservation needs, and to educate people about the important roles
> snakes play in our world.
>
> Taking part in the CSC 2012 Snake Count is a great way to get outside
> with family and friends, find snakes, record data, help the CSC
> promote its mission, and support snake conservation. The goal during
> the Snake Count is to document every species of snake that occurs in
> the United States in a single time period. This way we can say
> whether a species still exists and where it occurs in 2012. The data
> collected during the Snake Count will also be used by the CSC to map
> the current distribution of these snakes which will help us confirm
> the existence of some rare species and provide baseline data to help
> monitor selected populations of more common species in the future.
> For example, during the Fall 2011 Snake Count, we recorded a very rare
> species (Black Pine Snake – Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus) and had
> range extensions or new county records for other species.
>
> It would take scientists a lifetime to collect the same data that
> Citizen Scientists can collect in one week during the Snake Count.
> Anyone who can identify a snake or even take a picture to submit can
> provide important information that enables researchers to learn which
> species or areas may need additional conservation focus and effort. We
> need everyone's help to raise the awareness for snake conservation to
> ensure that they will continue to persist in our developing world.
> So, tell your family and friends about the Snake Count. Better yet,
> encourage them to sign up and participate. Citizen Science projects
> like the Snake Count can be extremely powerful tools for conservation
> efforts and I think we all can agree that snakes have been ignored in
> past. With your help, we can make a difference for snakes.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Cameron and the Center for Snake Conservation
> Cameron A. Young
> http://www.snakeconservation.org/