Re: just a thought

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Posted by David L. Martin on July 12, 2002 at 08:11:27:

In Reply to: just a thought posted by mirabelasunshine on July 11, 2002 at 18:51:59:

I think you have a valid point, antecdotal
information and theoretical considerations
indicate that the largest admanteus came, and
should come, from S Florida. This is where Kauffeld
caught his first one, a huge female,
and where the Boswell record (1927) originates.
On the day he supposedly found the 7+ foot
adamanteus, Boswell found 10 others. I think
any of us would be hard pressed to find 10
adamanteus (excluding litters of neonates)
in the wild in one day, anywhere, using any
technique. Now this area is crisscrossed with
roads and high speed traffic.

Probably no less than a million adamanteus inhabited
this region in 1927, of which perhaps only a few
hundred were 7+ feet long at any given time. Now
the regional population probably numbers no more than a
hundred thousand. Are there still 7 footers among
them? Perhaps, in the remotest areas, but probably
no more than 5 or 6 at any given time. The odds
of anyone finding one become very slim indeed.

Similar considerations apply to atrox. My data
suggest that in Cameron County, atrox grow slightly
faster than they do in northern Hidalgo and Starr
County. Therefore, we might expect to find the
largest atrox in Cameron County. The opposite is
true today. Why? Because Cameron County is crisscrossed
with roads and high-speed traffic. I am hard pressed
to find 4 individuals on a good night in the spring,
in the best habitat. There are probably less than
100,000 in the county. Hidalgo County, as I have
said, probably has a million atrox. Where do the
7 footers come from? Largely roadless ranch areas
in Starr, Hidalgo, and Kenedy Counties.

There are also good atrox populations to the north,
toward San Antonio and Del Rio. But these do not
produce monsters because shorter growing seasons
reduce growth rates dramatically. It is hard to
find even a 6-foot atrox in the Del Rio area.

So your thought is, I think, quite valid, but I
also believe large areas are needed to produce the
millions of individuals that result in a few huge
ones. This explains why roadless areas, such as
barrier islands (which can have very dense rattlesnake
populations) do not produce monster rattlesnakes.

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Re: just a thought Holmes 07/12/02 (0)

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: I think you have a valid point, antecdotal : information and theoretical considerations : indicate that the largest admanteus came, and : should come, from S Florida. This is where Kauffeld : caught his first one, a huge female, : and where the Boswell record (1927) originates. : On the day he supposedly found the 7+ foot : adamanteus, Boswell found 10 others. I think : any of us would be hard pressed to find 10 : adamanteus (excluding litters of neonates) : in the wild in one day, anywhere, using any : technique. Now this area is crisscrossed with : roads and high speed traffic. : Probably no less than a million adamanteus inhabited : this region in 1927, of which perhaps only a few : hundred were 7+ feet long at any given time. Now : the regional population probably numbers no more than a : hundred thousand. Are there still 7 footers among : them? Perhaps, in the remotest areas, but probably : no more than 5 or 6 at any given time. The odds : of anyone finding one become very slim indeed. : Similar considerations apply to atrox. My data : suggest that in Cameron County, atrox grow slightly : faster than they do in northern Hidalgo and Starr : County. Therefore, we might expect to find the : largest atrox in Cameron County. The opposite is : true today. Why? Because Cameron County is crisscrossed : with roads and high-speed traffic. I am hard pressed : to find 4 individuals on a good night in the spring, : in the best habitat. There are probably less than : 100,000 in the county. Hidalgo County, as I have : said, probably has a million atrox. Where do the : 7 footers come from? Largely roadless ranch areas : in Starr, Hidalgo, and Kenedy Counties. : There are also good atrox populations to the north, : toward San Antonio and Del Rio. But these do not : produce monsters because shorter growing seasons : reduce growth rates dramatically. It is hard to : find even a 6-foot atrox in the Del Rio area. : So your thought is, I think, quite valid, but I : also believe large areas are needed to produce the : millions of individuals that result in a few huge : ones. This explains why roadless areas, such as : barrier islands (which can have very dense rattlesnake : populations) do not produce monster rattlesnakes.

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Re: just a thought

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