Through the Save The Snakes Support Grant Program, Save The Snakes supported David Vera to reduce the conflict between humans and the venomous Urutu snake in the Tandilia Mountains. This project will gather crucial data to understand the snake’s behavior and provide education to the local community to prevent snake bites and foster conservation efforts.
Project Title:
Spatial Ecology of the Urutu (Bothrops alternatus): Towards a Strategy to Mitigate Human Conflict in the Tandilia Mountains
Project Summary:
David Vera’s project focuses on the spatial ecology of the Urutu (Bothrops alternatus), one of Argentina’s most venomous snakes, particularly prevalent in the Tandilia Mountains. The Urutu poses significant risks to local communities due to its venom and proximity to human settlements, leading to frequent snake killings. However, the loss of these snakes contributes to ecological imbalance, as snakes play a vital role in pest control. Vera’s project will use radiotelemetry to track the movement and habitat preferences of Urutu snakes, providing essential data on how to mitigate human-snake conflicts and guide conservation efforts.
By studying the behavior of these snakes, the project aims to identify high-risk areas where human-snake encounters are most common and develop strategies for relocating captured snakes to safe environments. Public workshops will complement the scientific research by educating local communities about the importance of snakes in maintaining biodiversity. The workshops will also provide practical advice on avoiding snake bites and understanding snake behavior. Through a combination of fieldwork and public outreach, Vera’s project seeks to reduce the conflict between people and the Urutu while promoting the broader conservation of reptile species in the Tandilia Mountains.
Aims and Objectives:
This project seeks to gather essential data on the movement patterns, home range, and daily activity of the Urutu snake by implanting radiotransmitters and using radiotelemetry techniques. The data collected will allow the team to understand how these snakes interact with their environment and identify areas where human-snake conflicts are most likely to occur. By doing this, the project will also contribute to the development of strategies for safely relocating snakes to less populated areas, reducing both the risk of snakebites and the unnecessary killing of these important reptiles.
In parallel to the fieldwork, the project will focus on educating the local community about the ecological importance of the Urutu and other snakes native to the Tandilia Mountains. Public workshops will not only inform participants about snake behavior and habitat use but will also teach them practical steps for avoiding dangerous encounters and preventing snake bites. Surveys will be conducted with local residents to assess their current experiences with snakes and evaluate changes in their perception following the workshops. This two-pronged approach—scientific data collection and community education—will ensure that the project has both immediate and long-term impacts on human-snake coexistence in the region.
Goal:
The goal of this project is to reduce human-snake conflict in the Tandilia Mountains by improving the understanding of Urutu snake behavior and educating local communities about safe snake management. By collecting data on the daily activity and movement patterns of the Urutu, the project aims to identify key areas where conflicts are likely to occur and use this information to inform decisions on snake relocation and management. This will help reduce the number of snakebite incidents and prevent the unnecessary killing of snakes, thus promoting both human safety and snake conservation.
In addition to mitigating conflict, the project also aims to foster a deeper appreciation for the ecological role of the Urutu and other snake species among the local population. Through public workshops and community engagement, the project will provide practical tools and knowledge to help people coexist with snakes safely. By the end of the project, it is expected that the community will have a greater understanding of how to handle snake encounters, and a reduction in fear and hostility toward these important but often misunderstood reptiles. The success of the project will be measured by the reduction in snake killings, an improvement in public attitudes, and the effectiveness of the relocation strategies developed.
Support Snake Conservation:
David Vera’s project is a recipient of the 2024 Save The Snakes Support Grant Program. Save The Snakes Grants are made possible because of the generosity of compassionate people and organizations who are inspired and dedicated to protect threatened snake populations and mitigate human-snake conflict around the world. Please donate today to help Save The Snakes support even more snake conservationists to continue their vital work. Thank you for your support!
