Understanding the Spatial Ecology and Space Utilization of Copperhead Snakes in Tennessee

Abstract

The exploration of animal movement data has greatly advanced animal habitat studies with broad applications in conservation planning, land management practices that improve habitat quality and connectivity, and resolving wildlife related problems such as Human-Wildlife Conflicts (HWC). Majority of these studies have been applied to birds and ungulates, but less is known about reptile species, especially snakes. Copperhead snakes account for the second most reported snake bites due to their abundance and are of Least Concern to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, it is beneficial to study them because of the potential HWC they present and to dispel the bad reputation surrounding snakes leading to their persecution as they are very important in maintaining food security. The first chapter of this document explains the importance of species conservation and a literature review of concepts such as habitat fragmentation and loss, human-environmental interactions, movement models and the utility of Geographic Information Science/Systems (GIS) in biodiversity conservation. The second chapter delves into the research executed to mitigate human-snake conflicts. We use a time geographic method – Probabilistic Space-Time Prisms (PSTPs) – to analyze copperhead snakes’ trajectory recorded for three years in Overton Park (urban) and Meeman Park (rural), Tennessee to understand their daily activity patterns and space utilization. We highlight copperheads’ habitat preferences by time of day and created risk maps to identify areas where incidents of HWC may likely occur. Our research reveals that urban and rural copperheads are very active in the morning periods and do not alter their spatial behavior regardless of time of day and landscape composition as their habitat use is consistent across the rural and urban park. The third chapter is an extended discussion of the applicability and replicability of this research as well as study limitations. This research may be utilized by park and wildlife managers to construct caution signages alerting the public of the presence of snakes in the park thereby increasing visitor satisfaction. It could also be used by the government and other conservation agencies to prioritize areas that require conservation interventions.