Abe, the Eastern Copperhead Snake

Photo credit: Peter Paplanus (link)

Some people are afraid of the Eastern Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix, but they don't need to be. While this a venomous snake that should be respected and given ample space if encountered - this species of snake is very rarely fatal to human or pets. 

As a kid I grew up hunting for garter snakes in my backyard, and later adopted a ball python of my own to the great discomfort of my mother. I find them fascinating and beautiful instead of scary. Even venomous snakes have evolved their venom to hunt prey, not to terrify humans. If we stay out of their way and take a few safety precautions, we will be just fine. Use a headlamp when retrieving firewood from your pile out back or when hiking around sunset. 

Only three of the 32 species of snakes found in Virginia pose any danger to humans. If you enjoy spending time in nature, it is a good idea to be able to identify them. 

Meet Abe - Animal Ambassador at the Potomac Overlook Nature Center

Abe fascinated me because he is a very active snake that slithers right up to the glass to investigate new people, likely thanks to his heat sensing organ that all pit vipers have between their eyes and nose. 

Abe is an animal ambassador that helps people learn how to recognize this snake in the wild, and educates them about the importance of snakes to the ecosystem. 

Here is a video of him.

Sorry about the picture quality below, the glass on his tank is fairly scratched up. 

It's hard to see in his photos, but in person it is easy to notice a sizable bump on his head. This was a result of a healed injury that happened prior to his capture. A vet has checked it out, so he is ok. 

Abe is an adult Copperhead, the staff are unsure how old he is because he has been at the Center longer than any of the current staff. They guess he is between 5 and 10 years old. As a venomous snake, he is never handled, so they don't know exactly but would estimate he weighs only half a pound. Copperheads do not get super large - at most they grow to be 2-3 feet long. 

Copperheads, like most venomous snakes, have keeled scales and cat-eye pupils. Their habitat varies, according to the National Zoo website:

Copperheads live in a range of habitats, from terrestrial to semiaquatic, including rocky, forested hillsides and wetlands. They are also known to occupy abandoned and rotting wood or sawdust piles, construction sites and sometimes suburban areas. They climb into low bushes or trees to hunt prey and will also bask in the sun and swim in the water.

They are most active after sunset, especially on rainy evenings, when they hunt for prey including mice, birds, amphibians and lizards. 

Some interesting facts about this animal:

• It is possible for copperheads to have a "virgin" birth through a process called parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction where an unfertilized egg can develop to maturity.
• Copperheads lose and replace their fangs up 5-7 times in a lifetime. 
• Young copperheads are more grey than copper, and have a bright yellow tail that is used like a lure prey into striking distance, this color fades as they get older

Photo Credit: Patrick Feller (link)

• Copperheads are ovoviparous, meaning eggs develop in the body and hatch inside or immediately after being expelled. 
• Copperheads are social snakes and may hibernate in communal dens with other copperheads, as well as other species of snakes, such as timber rattlesnakes and black rat snakes. They tend to return to the same den year after year.
• Males are aggressive to each other during mating season in front of females. 
• These snakes can live up to 18 years in the wild, or up to 25 years in captivity!

Snakes are an important part of the ecosystem, both as predators and as prey. They are rarely dangerous to humans - in fact, their venom has been used to make medicine that helps people. Check out some of these articles below for more info, and I encourage you to visit Potomac Overlook to say hi to Abe and the other animals that live there. 

Sources:

https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/reptiles/snakes/copperhead/copperhead.php

https://www.livescience.com/43641-copperhead-snake.html

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/northern-copperhead

https://www.livescience.com/23103-virgin-births-common-wild-snakes.html

https://savethesnakes.org/2018/05/09/protect-venomous-animals/