Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

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Porter
Posts: 2418
Joined: March 19th, 2011, 7:43 pm

Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

As most of you know already, 2016 was my last year of field herp photography. I'm sure I'll take a photo here and there, but as far as setting out specifically to find interested herps to photograph, that's come to an end. I have a torn adductor muscle and the acute injury has condemned me to P&S status. I can no longer climb around uneven habitat, hikes through the sierras, climb hills, or even take long trail walks. I'm developing my own rehabilitation plan and looking into 2nd opinions, but for now things aren't looking very good. So, that hobby has met it's end. Still, once a field herper, always a field herper...? Today Sacramento got some beautiful weather so I took a drive to the Giant Gartersnake den I've visited over the past 5 years. Knowing either, I would see some snakes... or fishermen. I wasn't surprised at all with what I found.

I've had mixed feelings over the years about the fishermen who inhabit the area... sometimes mad that I can't observe the snakes because of their ALL-DAY-LONG presence at the den. Other days thinking, well, if they are here at least the presence of people keep the natural and potential predators away like Herons, Egrets, Invasive Red-eared Sliders, Skunk, Raccoon, ect... One thing I miss is seeing the River Otters using the canal to hunt fish in. I'd see a family of them in the early years, traveling up and down the canal. But they get scarred by the fishermen's presence. Which has increased dramatically over the last 5 years. They haven't returned... Many of you are familiar with the in situ HANDS OFF photography I've managed to capture here. This is the only spot in the Natomas Basin that I'm able to get continuous sightings. There were a few others, but construction of freeway overpasses, offramps and onramps, and traffic light intersections has completely wiped out those few populations that were already struggling there. They literally bulldozed the snakes :( That along with other events brought to my attention, have had me rethinking the effects these fishermen are have on the last remaining population of thamnophis gigas that I know of.

I'm very familiar with the grid of roads that run though these croplands. Good enough to know that this certain stretch of road will have Valley Gartersnakes crossing and basing in the road in the evening, this other stretch of road is where I see the California Kingsnakes, over there is always Gopher Snakes and Yellow-belly Racers. It never seems to fail. I can almost always predict what species I'm driving up to before getting close enough to identify it. Same with the Chorus Frogs (treefrogs). on a rainy night. They are always in the same part of the same road. which isn't very large in comparison to where I don't see them. This one den area is the only place I see the gigas now. It's such a safe haven for these snakes, that I've come to recognize a few individuals year after year.

Last year I posted an In Situ photo session of a little Giant Gartersnake thamnophis gigas crawling up the embankment to bask and the last den sight that I know of. I've seen the snake during two different years and know that he, along with others, are using the rocks at the area as a safe haven and HOME. A week or two later, I found him run over, smashed in the road, right where all these fishermen park their vehicles. Which, I not entirely sure is even legal. I park there because I see them parked there and apparently the have never been instructed not to do so. One thing I noticed after looking at the photos I took, is that there is a fresh wound on the bottom jaw of the snake. I can also see blood in the shots of the snake yawning. I've never seen the inside of Giant Garter's mouths before... so, originally I thought the red coloration was natural. However, now I think it is easy to see that it's an open wound that still hadn't healed. Maybe from earlier that day or possibly earlier that week. Maybe the snake wasn't ran over... could it die from an infection of the mouth? Could the wound have been caused by a fish hook? Gartersnakes are known to eat earthworms. Furthermore, Giant gartersnakes are an highly aquatic species of gartersnake. Unlike Valley Gartersnake in the Natomas Basin who hunt in shallow waters for small prey such as frogs and minows; Giant Gartersnake hunt deep waters and catch prey by diving and scanning the muddy bottoms for prey. I can't ignore the possibility that this snake was hooked, reeled in, then had a fishhook ripped from his mouth, then released, and sometime after was ran over by these fishermen's cars. Either after dying from a mouth infection or simply crawling in the way of their tires. Driver obviously not giving incentive to look where and what he was driving over.

I drove out there one day to find two young boys running around while their father was scanning the canal for a goo place to fish. One boy was exploring with a large, thin-meshed dip net, and the other throwing rocks at something in the water. I thought, NO, he's throwing rocks at a gigas swimming across the water! I pulled over quickly and found that it war a Muskrat frantically trying to escape the boys rock throwing. I observed the boy following the Muskrat down the canal, continually throwing rocks from the levee/embankment the size of marbles and golf balls and missing each time. Then he selected one the size of a baseball... this hit the muskrat (a protected species) dead center on top of the head!! "HEEEEEYYYYY!!!" "DON'T DO THAT!!!!!" I yelled. I felt out of place, but I lectured the boy and his father about the protected animal, who only spoke very little broken English and just nodded most of the time...not understanding but probably catching my drift. The boy just glared at me with an evil stare of hatred.... I asked the other boy with the fishnet if they had ever seen snakes out here before? He said they had caught one and brought it home, but it escaped in their front yard.

I have gone up to these fisherman on many occasions over the last 5 years, asking them what they were catching and if they were getting any bites. Mainly because I wanted to know what kind of fish the gigas are preying on as a main food source. I've seen stringers and buckets full of carp, sunfish, some kind of silver minnow/white fish, bass, catfish. Many looking to be under regulation size and limit. Stringer of small sunfish 30 or more, dead from lying in the hot water all day. I know with Trump in office, this may offend some people, but it IS important to this situation. All of them are or seem to be the same race of people and speak the same language. Most of them speak no English at all and the ones that do don't seem to understand what I'm saying. If they can't speak English, I find it hard to believe they can read it! If they can read the fishing regulations, I doubt they make it over the page that outlines protected reptiles. They also don't have fishing license displayed on clothes. And, we all know that people who don't fear snakes, willing to tolerate snakes, or feel immoral about killing snakes, is a very small group of Americans. When these people see a full grown Giant Gartersnake (which is very rare now-a-days because their only habitat is tracker infested crop fields; with machines at the top of the food chain) come swimming up with the fish they've been sitting all day in the sun waiting to catch, and eating it on the bank across from them. I can imaging they might find that somewhat irritating.

In spring the fish are plentiful. The fishermen are taking home bucket after bucket, stringer after stringer. But in the summer, the fisherman rarely have anything to show me. Spring is the time when these snakes should be out basking, breeding, and feeding. I don't see the snakes out when they fishermen are present. I know how to slowly and quietly approach the snakes for photos, but these fishermen and their kids don't have the same effect on the snakes temperments. If they can't bask, they can't energize to dive for fish. These snakes have to bask after dives in order to take more dives. If there are lots of fish, the dives are successful. If there are few fish swimming within the small radius surrounding the den they call home, it takes more dives to finally catch something. Imagine the footage you see of seals chasing schools of fish underwater and how the seals trick them in ways to finally make a successful catch. Image if the seal only had 10 fish to chase... :| When the fisherman are there. In most cases, the snakes hide in the dens.

I don't want to get anyone in trouble. Not my style. I feel like it's becoming something I'm ignoring rather than attacking. I thought of making a sign and posting it myself that say's NO FISHING! But I don't know if I could get in trouble, if they would even understand the sign (maybe red ghoustbusters circle-and-line with a fish and hook in the middle?), or if a warden would just remove it when the see it. How can I go about posting a sign here? I don't think mentioning and/or bringing attention to the snake is the right angle. Can I legally post a "no-fishing" sign or is there a way to get it approved by the law? Is reporting something like this to F&G the only way of handling this? If so, how should I go about it?

Below are photos that I took today of the fishermen and some shot of the snakes I've taken in the past. I think this first picture displaying the bullet holes in the sign, is an insight to how effective the signs they have posted now are on the human inhabitants...

before, I was very secretive about this spot not being revealed, and although the picture may do that, I think the last think I need to worry about are field herpers knowing the location. I'd hate to not be able to go there to view and photograph the animals there... but at this point, I think the wellbeing of the animals is more important.

-Porter

ImageNatomas Basin watermark by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



Photos of the wound on right lower jaw.

Imagescarlip24a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imagescarlip58 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imagescarlip43 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imagescarlip42 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imagescarlip57 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imagescarlip63 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr




Shots from today...

ImageDSC_0675 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0677 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0678 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0682 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



ImageDSC_0683 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0686 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0696 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0694 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0688 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0687 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0689 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0690 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0685 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0691 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



ImageDSC_0701 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0702 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr


ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake eating a sunfish by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake eating a sunfish by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageBasking Giant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imagegigas in grass by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake home by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImagePeek-a-boo Gigan by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake home by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imageg crawl by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGigan by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGigan by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_1375 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_1383 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image0 gigas swim watermark by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image0 gigas swim 2 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image0 gigas swimm watermark by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image0 gigas swimmm by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageOld man gigan by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0723 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageDSC_0727 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Imageperiscopin gigas a by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGigas Water Shed by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

ImageGiant Gartersnake by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr
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Thorny
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Thorny »

Sorry to hear about your retirement from field herping.

While not ideal, it could be way way worse. Ultimately I don't dount that giant garters can survive in degraded habitat but they have to have that habitat. If you want to have a petition to get these rules actually enforced I would be happy to sign it but I think we'll continue to have garters with or without these fisherman.
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Porter
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

If I can get enough people to comment a petition signing to this post, I'm down! This would be the only way to get a petition around (for me). I don't facebook.

I agree, some will survive, somewhere... This spot is right next to a protected "S" -shaped pond. It has no access and is blocked off by fences. I'm sure the snakes must be there too (hunt there), but I don't see any kind of natural rock structure like the den. This den is like an outcropping that tunnels inside the side slope of the levee. The pond is all flat ground, man-made public park duck pond, from what I can see. (It would be nice to be able to survey the area) What concerns me is, I only see the snakes within a close radius of these rock, Jenga balanced, labyrinth-like cavern structures. It's possible that all the protected duck pond snakes hibernate at the fishermen's den... in my pics, you can see the plowed crops surround this place. Last year (or year before), I walked up to the area with smoke in my eyes from them burning the fields. A half burnt cottontail rabbit jumped up out of the den rocks and darted away down the road. Every year the farmers spray weed killer along the top of the levee and remove all the tall weeds that extend down the levee to the waters edge. This is to keep the drainage under the road free from debris clogging the canal. The is den attached to the gravel road (seen in the first few pics) and is safe from their spraying and mowing. These snakes got it rough... After 5 years, my opinion is the fishermen make it worse...
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Porter
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

UPDATED: After reading Nature Nates response on another post, I took a few photos out that give away the location that was was listed on the No Trespassing signs. I don't think these are a hot poacher item (unlike rosys, zonata, ect...) but who knows... If you guys think I need to remove the post, speak up, no worries. I will. I don't need to start a petition. Really, I just want to have a no fishing sign posted there. Any info on how to go about that, I'm all ears. I also fixed a few of my typos that were easy to navigate and fix... I'd apologize, but I'm sure you're all used to seeing that from me and my evil Android :lol:

....also, didn't realize I posted this on April 1st. If anyone was wondering if this was an April Fools joke, it's not. The posting date was unintentional.
craigb
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by craigb »

Another option is to contact both your local Sheriff's office and Ca. Fish and Game and just explain to them your concerns. Explain that your concern is about the wildlife and ask them to do a patrol check of the location to educate those not obeying the law. You are a concerned citizen, but not a fascist, or racist.

Are those fishing leaving trash, or human waste? Neither are environmentally friendly. It is just wrong to fish there. I am sure there are other places for them to fish where it is legal.

Law enforcement won't rush out there to arrest everyone, but hopefully when in the area they will stop by and educate those fishing illegally. Write down the agency, the date and time you called, and the person's name you spoke to. You can also repeat this process every 10 days or so if the problem continues.


Also your petition will be more reasonable if you can state that you have notified law enforcement of the situation, listing the dates, time and person's you spoke to.

Believe it or not, this is how animal control works. People regularly let their dogs run in neighborhoods which is illegal. Animal control officers respond and first try to educate, then cite if the violation continues.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Porter...contact CAF&W and the USF&W. Don't just post this here. We can't do anything about it, except maybe bust a few windows on fisherman's cars until they learn not to go there... :lol: 8-)
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Porter
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

Brian Hubbs wrote:Porter...contact CAF&W and the USF&W. Don't just post this here. We can't do anything about it, except maybe bust a few windows on fisherman's cars until they learn not to go there... :lol: 8-)
For the record, I want to point out that was Captain Sternn's idea, not my own :lol: :thumb:

All I want is a no fishing sign put there. I don't want to report them or get them fined. That won't solve the big picture. That will only effect whichever fishermen are there at the time... and if they're legal or haven't caught any under-limit-sized fish before the warden shows up, they won't even get ticketedgo about and likely not even understand the verbal warnings of the warden. Not only that, I can't drive out there all the damn time to report fishermen. There's at least one or two there 5-7 days a week. Hubb's, didn't you make a SF garter sign for a road in the bay area that warned drivers of crossing snakes? How did you go about getting that approved?
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Porter
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

craigb wrote:Another option is to contact both your local Sheriff's office and Ca. Fish and Game and just explain to them your concerns. Explain that your concern is about the wildlife and ask them to do a patrol check of the location to educate those not obeying the law. You are a concerned citizen, but not a fascist, or racist.

Are those fishing leaving trash, or human waste? Neither are environmentally friendly. It is just wrong to fish there. I am sure there are other places for them to fish where it is legal.

Law enforcement won't rush out there to arrest everyone, but hopefully when in the area they will stop by and educate those fishing illegally. Write down the agency, the date and time you called, and the person's name you spoke to. You can also repeat this process every 10 days or so if the problem continues.


Also your petition will be more reasonable if you can state that you have notified law enforcement of the situation, listing the dates, time and person's you spoke to.

Believe it or not, this is how animal control works. People regularly let their dogs run in neighborhoods which is illegal. Animal control officers respond and first try to educate, then cite if the violation continues.
Thanks for the info Craig :thumb: Honestly, I don't have the time to do that. I'll be moving to the Elk Grove-ish area at the end of the month and most likely won't be going out to the den site again this year. My driving is limited due to my injury (no cruise control). I don't hate the dudes. I actually helped one of them get his keys out of his locked car one time :lol: I was a really grandpa old looking guy, by himself, and wave me over to his car and just pointed at the ignition :lol: no words spoken at all. I normally keep a wire clothes hanger stuffed in my bumper for my own foul ups. I pressure-pulled the window down from a quarter inch to about an inch and fished out the keys. It was pretty cool :) He just smiled hella big. Never said a word. It was mid summer hot too.
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Porter
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

Also, I was gonna post a separate post about this, but it's not necessarily fieldherp subject beside the reptilian artwork. I'll post it here instead. I know there are a lot of Walking Dead fans here. You may have noticed the Bernie Wrightson tribute at the end of the season finale... he passed away. One of the great comic character artists! Most known for Swamp Thing. I've never been much into gore, zombie, or monster comics, but when I was a junior in high school, a fellow artist buddy turned me on to a Captain Sternn comic. The character art definitely had a huge impact on me and the concept of the Sternn & Beezer was probably the best thing I had ever seen at the time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Sternn especially during the early 90's when music and art seem to be exploring the darker side of society. Sternn by far is no role model and I respect women wholeheartedly! However,I think the comic can be appreciated under the context of a unique anti-hero antagonist in a world of superheros. I remember mentioning the comic to Brian a few years ago, on a forum post I think... ever sense I can't help but see a connection between the two :lol: I look at Sternn and see Hubbs 8-) an accurate depiction of the demeanor he portrays :) No insult intended what-so-ever. It's cool to me on a character and artist's stand point. The comic deals with some heavy adult material that I don't support, but I recently had to track down a few issues for re-inspiration :mrgreen:

Beezer, and the way he talks, is without a doubt the coolest thing I have ever seen in a comic book! :crazyeyes: :idea: :mrgreen: :beer:




The words, " The Walking Dead" are mentioned in the first spoken words of issue #1. I didn't think they could top Beth singing Tom Waits, but the show never ceases to surprise me. Outstanding tribute :thumb:

Image20170408_094746 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image20170408_094528 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image20170408_094656 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image20170408_094712 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr



Image20170408_095345 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image20170408_094858 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image20170408_094950 by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image20170408_102230[1] by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr

Image20170408_102121[1] by California Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation, on Flickr
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Bernie who?...

Image

Image=SwampThing01 by Brian Hubbs, on Flickr

Image=SwampThing02 by Brian Hubbs, on Flickr

Image=SwampThing07 by Brian Hubbs, on Flickr

and I think this last one sums up what should be done to the fishermen...

Image=SwampThing05 by Brian Hubbs, on Flickr
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Porter
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

Swamp Thing vs Batman? :shock: :thumb:
This was my introduction to the Swamp Thing... boy they sure don't make em like they used to :lol:



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Porter
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Porter »

Brian, did you see the question about the infernalis sign?
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Area - violated?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Oh yeah...the tetrataenia sign...I didn't make that, a state park did...
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