Quote Originally Posted by Bay_area View Post
I used to put fingernail polish on the rattles before I released them, not the most scientific way, but it lasted a couple of seasons. Anyhow, I would find snakes I released in the area with the polish still on some of the rattles. Not sure of the survival rate, but it is encouraging to find ones I released years later doing well
That's a neat trick with the fingernail polish! I can agree with the fact that a relocation is better than the shovel, but the nail polish trick is not an accurate means of determining success in relocation. In this example there is no way of knowing whether or not the relocated specimen actually out-competed members of an existing population. Either way, there is the likely chance that ultimately: the rattlers lose. One way or another, their habitat is compromised.

Steven