The Evans County Wildlife Club in Claxton, Georgia, has announced it will no longer hold rattlesnake roundups. Instead, the club will host the Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival, an event that celebrates rattlesnakes through educational displays and family activities rather than collecting and butchering them. This decision was praised by organizations including The Center for Biological Diversity, Coastal Plains Institute, Protect All Living Species, and One More Generation, which sent a letter supporting the move.
Scheduled for the second weekend in March, the new festival will feature educational programs about the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and other native wildlife, along with entertainment and family-friendly activities. Collette Adkins Giese, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed support for the change, urging the Whigham Community Club to follow suit and end its own roundups. A petition with over 5,000 signatures has been sent to the Whigham Community Club requesting an end to its event. Conservation groups highlight that roundups have contributed to the decline of Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, with data showing decreases in the weight and number of snakes collected. Additional threats include habitat loss and road mortality. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake, found in southeastern U.S. habitats like forests and swamps, is the largest rattlesnake species and primarily preys on rabbits, rats, and other rodents.
Shopping Cart