Eastern indigo

[mudflats]

As i walk to talka few photographs of the sun setting a see what i though was a black racer crossing the busy highway. I run over to get him but was to late. A van stomps on his brakes and nails it. At first i thought, aw damn, well we both tried. Until i see him keep going and look in the side mirror with a smile of gradification. He had locked his brakes to Really for sure kill this snake. i have seen other rentless floridians lock brakes to twist up and kill rattlers. I was extremly pissed off, i walked over to the snake realizing it wasnt a black racer but a Eastern indigo. Try as hard as it could to get off the road as 1/3 of his body was just about smashed onto the road and twister up. I tell you i about cried, been looking for these threatned species for some time here ( 5-6 years) and the one i see has ben killed in front of my eyes. I tell this story for the fact this is happening all to often as i have seen. And causes great violence, a few incidents i have gotten into recently that almost involved a very bloody happening( hunting season) we where that mad. This must stop, and i tell you all please educate anyone you see about reptiles, even little remarks as eww there slimy. That can lead to that little girl or boy growing up with fear.

[LdyDrgn]

Too bad you couldn't get the license plate of the van... he might have been nailed with a fine for doing that considering the level of protection the couperi are under. :(

[Vanan]

*shakes head* Yet another stupid person who goes scot free.

[Tim_Cranwill]

Originally posted by LdyDrgn
Too bad you couldn't get the license plate of the van... he might have been nailed with a fine for doing that considering the level of protection the couperi are under. :(

And so he SHOULD have... could you shoot a Bald Eagle and get away with it? I think not.

Sad... :(

[bistrobob85]

It's totally a shame to roll over an animal and be glad about it! If i ever came to see that i would be so pissed that i would surely go race him and educate the stupid trucker!

[mudflats]

I damned myself ever hour after that. I was to preoccupied on the snake, I should have got the license. I snapped a few shots of the snake, being it was about 5-6 feet and i have always wanted to see one, and be in this beautiful creatures presence. But who would want a dead snake on there computer, so i deleted them. Let alone one you have been searching for for years.

Tim, the answer to your question is Yes you can get away. An in fact people have many many times. At the nature center, There are 5 redtail hawks, and 3 bald eagles. All the redtail hawks where hit by cars, and two of the bald eagles where shot. Having there wings amputated. The other baldie was hit aswell by a car. Many more have came in but did not make it. Wandering how a bald eagle gets shot by a shotgun with the shells of the bullets used for deer, makes us think it was probably on purpose. Horrible stuff. Aswell as us getting in gopher torts, with urine remenants on them, from idiotic teenagers. Etc Etc...All i can say is if i ever did witness this, from anole, to turtle...i cant say that the person would not make it out in his rite mind. To bad this van got away, although this is a one way street and i Will keep my eyes open. They will pay one way or another.

[LdyDrgn]

So terrible :( Some people have no respect...

[gonesnakee]

Too bad, lucky I didn't see it I'd have chased him down for sure & had a little "chat" plus take the steps to have him charged to the full extent of the law. The EI is the most protected snake in the US & killing one on purpose would have netted him a hefty fine. Most states don't even allow them to be kept & those that do requie special permits. You require a federal permit to even cross a state line with one, thats how protected they are. Far more protected than any bald eagle & much more rare & endangered. Mark
P.S. I would have cried, as would have the idiot that ran it down. I am lucky enough to interact with 3 of them on a daily basis & am also 1/2 owner of a breeding pair.

[LdyDrgn]

You can't even touch one in the wild without incurring a fine... unless you are part of an actual research team.