LANSING, MI (WTVB) – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is urging the public to stop harming, harassing, or attempting to capture eastern massasauga rattlesnakes.
The warning follows a recent incident at Proud Lake Recreation Area in Oakland County where a 41-year-old man was hospitalized after trying to photograph the snake.
Park officials report an influx of visitors leaving designated trails, trampling sensitive wetland vegetation, and even threatening to kill the snakes. Wildlife experts emphasize that these animals are naturally shy, rarely strike unless provoked, and have not caused a recorded human fatality in the state for over a century.
Because the eastern massasauga is listed as a state and federally threatened species, messing with them carries severe penalties under the Endangered Species Act, including up to a year in prison and a $50,000 fine.
State biologist Amy Bleisch says that the snakes play a vital role in controlling rodent populations, which directly helps limit the spread of tick-borne illnesses.
The snakes are native to Southern Michigan and are the states only venomous snake in fact Michigan is widely considered a global stronghold for the rattle sake species.
If someone is bitten, officials advise remaining calm, calling 911, and avoiding outdated first-aid methods like applying ice or trying to cut the wound.
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