Venomous reptiles are one of the most misunderstood and heavily persecuted groups of animals in the world. The majority of rare venomous snakes belong to the widespread family viperidae. There are over 250 species of vipers in the world distributed across all continents with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. Twelve percent of vipers (32 species) are listed by the IUCN red list as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. In addition, 4 species are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Wild Fauna and Flora Appendices I, II, or III; 1 species of rattlesnake is listed under the United States Endangered Species Act, and the majority of vipers in Europe (10 species) are listed under Appendix II of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. Given that snakes are difficult to study and are generally considered a lower conservation priority than most taxa, we also think that the status of many viper species is in significant need of updating. Thus, vipers may be even a greater conservation concern than the current lists suggest.

We are working with IUCN to form a Viper Specialist Group as a partnership between IUCN, Project Orianne, and viper specialists from around the world. Currently most viper conservation occurs by individuals that are dedicated to protecting a given species or group of species. By forming a Specialist Group that can serve as global voice for implementing viper conservation, we think that we have a much greater cumulative effect on the conservation of the viperidae as a whole. group

An example of the initiatives Project Orianne is interested in pursing under the VSG includes:

Appalachian Timber Rattlesnake Conservation Initiative

Timber rattlesnakes are widely distributed through the Appalachian region of North America. Much of the region has recovered from extensive logging and agriculture in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, resulting in some of the most intact habitats remaining in eastern North America. Despite forest recovery, many of the wildlife species that once inhabited these forests have not recovered, including the timber rattlesnake. Timber rattlesnakes still face widespread human persecution making it one of the rarest species of reptile in portions of the Appalachians. For example, Timber rattlesnakes have been nearly extirpated from the Northern Appalachians; they are extinct in Maine and Rhode Island and are listed as endangered in Connecticut (13 known populations remaining), Massachusetts (17 known populations remaining), New Hampshire (1 known population remaining) and Vermont (2 known populations remaining).

Project Orianne and the Viper Specialist Group are working to conserve Appalachian populations of timber rattlesnakes using a science based approach. For example, we are partnering with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, the Vermont Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project, and the Nature Conservancy to study the ecology of timber rattlesnakes at the two remaining populations in Vermont to better inform conservation efforts such as land acquisition and mitigating the effects of roads. We are also developing monitoring programs at select sites in both the Northern and Southern Appalachians. Finally, we are developing plans to begin a GIS study that defines an Appalachian Corridor for the protection of timber rattlesnakes. This project will provide the information needed to protect and connect important core areas of timber rattlesnake habitat.Bog turtles reptiles and amphibian global