Eastern Diamondbacks, A Rare Wonder In South Carolina

The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is one of the most venomous snakes in North America, and is the largest rattlesnake in the world.  It is clear why there is fear of this creature.  Many say it is mean and aggressive, but is that the truth?  Actually, Diamondbacks are relatively docile ambush predators.  It is highly probable that one would never be bitten by a Diamondback unless they stepped on it (having not heard the rattle), or was messing around with the animal that deserves much more respect than to be played with.  Forget the species type, people are just plain terrified of snakes in general.  There are many outcomes to situations where humans are afraid of things, and hostility is usually the case with snakes. 
Eastern Diamondbacks are a threatened species in South Carolina, and are a keystone species to Longleaf Pine habitats.  The snake has a large, beneficial impact on its ecosystem regardless of its abundance.  To extirpate this snake from South Carolina through fragmentation and urbanization would have negative results.  Ultimately, it all leads back to human population growth and development.  We move in on its natural habitat and build structures, not to mention killing it for no reason, basically pushing its range into the Atlantic.  Studies in the Adirondack Mountains of New York have shown that roads play a major roll in genetic isolation and fragmentation of snakes.  Not only are we killing this animal physically, but also severing its evolutionary potential.
Thankfully, scientists have found that relocating these snakes can be done.  Longleaf Pine ecosystems in South Carolina have been nearly erased because of bad land management practices by our ancestors (deforestation and fire suppression).  With good education and management, we can bring back beautiful Longleaf Savannahs in South Carolina, and it would be beneficial to have a "diamond in the rough".