Historical Records for this Species in Northeast Illinois are
available from Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Will counties.
The Chicago Illinois Field Office is
the lead office for coordinating the Service's efforts to recover this
species. We worked with the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources to establish an Illinois Eastern Massasauga Recovery
Team. The multidisciplinary team will
work on conserving remaining Illinois populations of this species, and
explore whether extirpated populations might be re-established. We also
network and consult with
species experts and other field offices within the ten states where
eastern massasauga is known historically. In 2007, Chicago's
Lincoln Park Zoo became the lead zoo
for the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Species Survival Plan, a
cooperative process sanctioned by the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). We will work closely
with AZA to implement the plan.
This species is listed as endangered by the State of Illinois. In the Chicago region,
we have visited all historical localities of the eastern massasauga, and
assessed the present condition of available habitat. We have networked with
the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, local land managers and
others with an interest in this species so that its needs might be
considered in implementing future land management activities. Finally, we have consulted
and worked in the field with massasauga
species experts at the
Illinois
Natural History Survey to become familiar with field protocols and
techniques for studying massasauga population biology.
Have You Seen a Massasauga?
This office annually takes numerous phone
calls from individuals concerned that they may have found an eastern
massasauga. This species is now extremely rare locally.
However, several other native non-venomous snake species bear a
superficial resemblance to the eastern massasauga. We are
interested in reports of eastern massasauga, though confirmation of
identity can be difficult. If possible, individuals who believe
they have encountered an eastern massasauga in northeast Illinois are
encouraged to take a digital photograph and email it to this office.
Do not attempt to handle a live eastern massasauga, or approach one to a
distance of closer than 3-4 feet.
Eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus
catenatus): Became a candidate for Federal listing as threatened
or endangered in
1998. Pertinent web areas, literature and dates include:
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