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'Drawing From Nature'
A SCIENCE AND ART LESSON FOR KIDS
This appeared on July 30, 2002 in the Los Angeles Times
THE KIDS’ READING ROOM
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Rattlesnake |
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Illustration
by Kevin
Kevin, 10 years old, is a 4th grade student
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July 30 2002
What animal is more afraid of you than you are of it? You'll often hear
it before you see it, and it grows a new rattle every time it sheds its
skin, which is one to three times a year. It's a rattlesnake!
Our regional rattlesnake is the Southern Pacific rattler. Adults are 3
to 4 feet long, have cool, dry, diamond-patterned,
olive-gray-brownish-colored bodies, and are covered with scales. Their
heads are triangle-shaped with wide jaws and fangs. Rattles used for
making noise are at the end of their tails. Newborns are 10 inches long
with a small, horny button on the tip of their tails.
Rattlesnakes live in dry areas, making their homes in burrows, rock
crevices or caves. They eat lizards, ground squirrels, small rabbits,
rats, mice, birds and frogs. Rattlers are important because they help to
control the rodent population.
Rattlesnakes try to keep a constant body temperature when active by
seeking cool or warm places in their environment, but can come out day
or night and are seen primarily from late spring through fall.
Most rattlesnakes are shy. They strike in self-defense and will leave
when they feel safe. If you encounter a rattlesnake you should give it
the "right of way," stay alert, and watch where you put your hands and
feet. Wear sturdy shoes when out walking in grassy or rocky areas. Don't
depend on the rattle to warn you because it may be missing or broken.
Very few people are bitten by rattlesnakes, but the bite from adults is
painful and dangerous. If bitten, get medical help immediately.
The UCLA Stunt Ranch Reserve is a 310-acre, UCLA-managed environmental
studies field station that was homesteaded by the Stunt family in 1885.
It is home to a variety of animals including rattlesnakes. To learn
more, you can take part in a docent-led tour of the reserve or
participate in one of its K-12 environmental programs led by the Cold
Creek docents. Tours can be booked by calling (818) 346-9675, Ext. 343.
For free curriculum guides and more information on the Stunt Ranch
Reserve, go to nrs.ucop.edu/Reserves/stunt.html or call (310) 206-3887.
This Learning Link was provided by Carol Felixson, director of
education/community outreach, UCLA Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains
Reserve.
If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at
latimes.com/archives. For
information about reprinting this article, go to
www.lats.com/rights.
Copyright 2002 Los Angeles Times
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