Rattlesnake Canyon just got a lot more life-like with the addition of a new sound system. Recorded rattling sounds of the 160-square-foot exhibits western diamondbacks now offer guests an enhanced experience. The real trick was getting the snakes to actually rattle for us to record. The only reason rattlesnakes rattle is to alert people and larger animals of their presence. But, because Zoo staff have created such a comfortable lifestyle for them, they are very use to people being in close proximity. So, they generally choose not to rattle. Jessi Krebs, curator of reptiles and amphibians, and Brandon Greaves, lead keeper of reptiles and amphibians, were able to trigger the behavior for a short time by waving a ballcap near the snakes. Since the ballcap was a new experience for the snakes, some of them reacted by rattling, which allowed us to obtain a sound recording. Zoo Academy students were able to observe from a safe distance, take notice of each snakes calm demeanor and even participate in a routine safety briefing before the recording session began. Lucky for them, their classroom had all of the right acoustics and was centrally located to the exhibit and anti-venom stored at the Zoo in the event of the bite. Rattlesnake Canyon now features 15 snakes total: 14 western diamondbacks and one black-tailed rattlesnake. #behindthescenes
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 17:13:48 +0000
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